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Digitized b^GOOgk-^
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)ogIe
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LETTERS
B V
C. H E R V E Y, EsQt
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/^roL^v^Cj _
L E T T E R S
r Jt O M
PORTUGAL, SPAIN,
I T A'L Y AND G E R M A N Y,
I'ti THE YEARS 1759, i76o> AND lj6l^
By CHRISTOPHER HERVEY, Esa*
VOL-UME THE FIRSTa
LONDON:
TAINTED BY J. DAVIS, C H ANCE R Y- LAKE; T BVi
^^», FAULDER, NEW-BONB-STREETt
M.DCC.LXXXV.
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)
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LETTERS
FROM
PORTUGAL, &c.
LETTER I.
FJILMOUTH9 DEC. 2O9 I7J9»
BEAR Slit,
JL O U are to confider this
as my firft and introdudory letter to the
ftrift correfpondence you have defire^. The
writing {o much is no trouble, for as I fhall
do it without confidering what I ^rite, I do it
like^ife without difficulty.
3 You
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2 LETTERS FROM
You know already that the papers I atn
to fend you are to be upon any fubjed, as
it is the liberty you allow in writing, that
makes them no trouble. You are to confider
thefe productions as a flrange mixture of in-
coherences ; among which, however, you
may chance to find fome Uttle matter that
fuits your tafte. All I engage for, is to daub
a Iheet of paper over with a black fluid called
ink ; reducing it into certain hieroglyphical
charadlers called letters ; which letters fhall
be put together into little packets called
words; and this is all I promife : referving
to myfelf the full and abfolute power of
writing in what language or ftyle I pleafe ;
intelligible or not ; good, bad, or indifferent.
In confequence of this agreement, you may
expedl to hear from me next week, and fo
on, if Iiam well, till my return to England,
LET-
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Portugal, spain, &c. 3
J. E T T E R 11.
(ON BOARD THE EXPEDITION PACKET^
DEC. 30, 1758.
1 HAVE now pretty nearly
finiflied my voyage from Falmouth to Lif-^
bon ; and, as I have almoft overcome all fea
ficknefsj will give you the paper now duc#
On Sunday laft, the day before Chriftmas
day, about three o^clock in the afternoon I
embarked for Lifbon. I thought, indeed, I
ihould have been left behind ; for I had hard-
ly finiflied dinner, when word was brought
that the fliip had weighed anchor and was
under fail.
By making, however, the boatmen row
ftoutly, we got up wirh our packet before
B 2 fli^
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4 LETTER StROM
fhe was out of the harbour. Indeed, as it
happened, there was no danger of our behig
left behind, for the Captain of the flup was
flill on board, and (Re could not go out to
lea till \\e was fet on fhore. To explain this
leeming paradox you muft know, that the
Captains of thefc packets have fometimes the
indolent'defire of remaining by a comfortable
fire-fide, while their veflels, under the com-
mand of mafl-ers", buffet the relentlefs waves.
Their intereft like wife in this refpeft, if I
am not mifinformed, coincides with their
inclinations, as they find it, I believe, turn
to better account to a£l at home as mer-
chants than abroad as failors. Our fails being
at length unfurled, we glided out of Fal-
mouth harbour, with two veflels in our
company. ; the one bound to the Groyne, as
w^e unaccountably call Corunna, and the
other to New York. After the fecond day^
indeed, they left us to purfue their refpe<Stive
deftinations ; while v^-e bore on, in a flrait
line to the fputh - weft. Our cabin was
crouded
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PO'RTUGAT., SPAIN, &c. 5
crouded with paffcngers, accumulated by a
delay of five weeks at Falmouth ; there
being no packet there but one, which the
cuftom-houfe officers had, to our confufion,
feized, upon account of her having fome
counterband goods on board. Since we em-
barked, our time has been almoft wholly
paft in eating, drinking, and fleep : though,
inftead of. the latter, I rather ought to fiib-
ftitute the bed; which though I have prefled
for ten hours every nighty but a fmall part
of that time was given to repofe. Some-
times, indeed, ftifled with our crouded fitua-
tion, I have got upon deck^ and taken an
evening*s w^lk there, to contemplate that
great extent of ocean now fpread all round
me. Nothing to engage my eye but the
expanfe of the heavens and water ; on which
latter the veflell am now failing in rides but
as a nut-fhell.
. Aut <es aut rohur^ &c. which I will give
in Fr3ncis's tranflatioh of Horace.
B3 ' Or,
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Or oak, or brafs, with triple fold ^
That hardy mortal's daring breaft enrollM,^
Who, firft to the wild ocean's rage
Launch'd the frail bark, and hea;:d the billows wage
Im^tuous W9r«
But, formidable as ihe watery clemept isj^
our ifland owes its greatneft to her hein^
furrounde4 with it.
LV>rribil mar coll^ on<h fua vorace
Forma vallo ficuro all^ Anglia audace.
Or, as I fhall attempt to tranflate it ii\
Englifli.
Old ocean's wave, tho* vcx'd with angry ftorros^
A rampart fure to hardy England forms.
Commerce, likewife, with her hundred
joyful attendants, renders this fituation of
ours beneficial, even to our enemies; and,
had not the old Roman idolatry given place
to a much better religion, we ought to infti*
tute rights in honour of Neptune, as the tatc*
lary deity of England.
LET--
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 7
LETTER IIL
LISBON, DEC. 31, I7S8.
1am arrived fafe in this har-
bour, but fhall continue on board till I have
received an anfwer to a letter I have fent into
the tov^rn. Our paffage wzs completed in
exaftly feven days ; for the time they moor-
ed at Lifbon this Sunday, wzs, I believe, the
very fame with that in which they had
weighed anchor from Falmouth the Sunday
before. We were one day becalmed in our
voyage j but the others made amends ; for it
blew fo brilk, that we outrun the matter's
reckoning, and had got to the fouthward of
Cape Finifterre, before he imagined we were
come into the latitude of it. We did not,
however, make land any where thereabout.
Indeed, we purpofely kept twenty or thirty
leagues off, as the ufual and more fafe navi.
B 4 gatioR,
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8 LETTERS FROM
gation. Had we been nighCT within fliore^
we might have been in danger; for I re-*
member alking the matter in the morning
where he thought we were, and he told me
ftill in the bay of Bifcay, as he knew it by
the tumbling fea. But at twelve o'clock,
when we made our obfervations, the Sun
ftill /nounted, and we found ourfelves two
degrees below Cape Finifterre, before we
thought we had got into the latitude of it.
A proof how very quick oyr veflel failed.
We fliould have been at Lifbon a day fooner,
but yefterday we could not make land before
vit was dark, tho' we flood ftretchlng our
eyes upon deck, in expedtation of feeing it.
The Eaftern horizon was Ikirtfed with a mift,
which, I verily believe, was the coaft of
Portugal; but the Sun's fpeedy defcent
hindered our afcertaining it; and we put out
to fea for more fecurity. The iky too low-
ered upon us, and feemed to threaten a fouth
weft wind, which is dangerous in thefe
parts. Nor did our mafter feem entirely at
cafe,
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 9
^aie. He faid,' In England a cloudy Iky por-
tended nothing; but in thefe countries,
where the heavens are generally clear to the
higheft degree, a gloomy hemifphere was
often the forerunner of bad weather. But
his apprehenfions proved groundlefs, and the
redoubted fbutl^-wefter flept peacefully in his
cavern. Not that I fpent the night agree-
ably; on the contrary, it was the worft of
all ; for the lying to with a high fea com^
municated a motion to the fhip, by no means
agreeable to a laqdm^n. 'The ^(jxt morning,
however, dlfpelled our fears by a fine diftant
profpe£t of the rock of Lifbon, with the Sun
fifing in all his glory behind it. As the land
ive had made was high ground, and we,.
confequently, faw it at a great diftanpe (Lbe*
lieve about twenty leagues o|F) ; you will not
be furprifed that, tho* we- diftinguifhed it at
fun-rife, it was a long time before our veflei
came up to it. But, itpagine a gentle v/ind
had now wafted us clofe to the rock, and
that we were juft entering into the mouth
of
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of the Tagus. We here obferved a fhrp
fecming to lie in wait for us at the entrance.
It alarmed us at firft^ as we thought Ih©
might be French, and were accordingly in
po fmall hurry and confufion, preparing for
an engagement. We difcovered, however,
9A laft, that it was the Hanover packet, juft
failed from Lifbon, We hailed each other,
Shortened fail, and with great dexterity each
<hip went rpund the other, to know what
news^ We, indeed, had nothing material.
But they informed us, that many of the
principal nobles of Portugal had been taken
up and thrown into prifon, for the attack
upon the king, and that the prefent critical
fituation of the affairs, of that kingdom had
caufed the goYern^]^ent to lay an embargo
upon the (hipping, which foipeEngliih veflels
had with difficulty got taken off froxn them
alone. But it is, now time for me to lay
down the pen, tho* with tprofrfife of cmfmua*
l.ETx
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JPORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. «
L i; T T B R IV.
i.isBoi;r> jAK. i6j ijS9f
After we liad drained the Hanover
packet ot all her news, we took leave
pf her, ^nd each veffel fleered their re^
fpe<^ive pourfe. We had not proceeded far
when a curious fort of boat came along-
fide us, juil after we had entered the mputh
of the Tagus, She was come with a pilot
to conduct us into the harbour, as the laws
pf this country oblige the moft knowing
jnariners to have one* This pilot was the
|irft Portuguef? | had ever feen, which made
his appearance the greater entertainments
He had on his long cloak thrown a fecond
time over his left (houlder,. which, added to
a large perpendiculary cocked hat, and a pair
pf FalftafFs boots, rendered him ^altogether
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12 LETTERS FROM
a humorous caricatura. With much ftate did
he parade up and down the deck, eathig fait
meat given him by the failors, >yho were
offended at his paring off the fat and throw-
ing it into the fea, which caufed execrations
againft his Portuguefe Jlomach.
In the mean time the (hip glided on under
his diredion, and after having left Cintra,
and Mafra, a royal convent, upon the left
hand, pafled the bar, which is fbmetimes
reckoned dangerous. We know little of
bars in England, but the Weftern rivers of
Spain, Portugal, and Barbary, moftly have
them, caufed, I fuppofe, by their lying more
open to the Atlantic ocean, which drives up
heaps of fand into the mouth of them.
We now faw Calcavelas and Cafcais, atnd
at laft reached Bellem, or, as we pronounce
it Bellifle, and the other pretty places fituat*
ed upon the left hand (horfe.of the river
Tagus ; all which were lefs damaged by the
earthi
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN> &c. 13
cartUi^iQ^thaii the buildings in the centre
of the city of Lifbon. Upon a rifing ground
the king has built a temporary palace, which
looks fotnething like-^prodigious long ftable
building, at leaft froni the watei^ as you fee*
nothing but a low wood-built houfe, with
an extenfive row of windows. We, in the
iXiczn time, continued our gentle courfe up *^
the river, and now the city and all the fhip-
ping appeared in view. This I think one of
the moft delightful fights I ever beheld. The
g/)/den Tagus crouded with veffels of all forts,
and bounded by pretty rifing lands on each
fide, which on the left were covered with
houfes, formed a moft enchanting profpeil.
As the wind was not over fair, we fpent much
time in getting to our moorings ; but at laft
our fails were furled, and we accompliflied
our voyage.
The next morning I went on (hore, and
a two wheeled chaife, a vehicle ufed in Lif-
bon inftead of coaches, conduced me to my
friend's
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t4 LETTERS FROlVi
friend's houfe. I had fcarcely proceeded mk
hundred yards before the devaflation caufed
by the late earthquake prefented itfelf to my
view* Heaps of ruins lay on all fides^ or
where a few houfes remained^ they were
ib propped up with large pieces of timber^
that they rather added to the horror of the
fcene. Melancholy refleftions occupied me^
and I confidered that under my feet might lie
hundreds of carcafes, fome of which, by the
houfes falling hollow upon them, were de*^
ftroyed by the flow-confuming hand of fa-*
mine, as the fire fubfequent to the earth*
quake might not reach thefe now fiibterrane^^
ous regions. In the mean time our chaife
continued its progrefs over the rubbifli. They
have, indeed, through moft of the ftreets
levelled a paffage over the confufed materials
of the overthrow^ buildings. The book*
keeper who attended me caufed me at length
to obferve a perfpeftive view of ruins,
through which we were then pafling,
and told me, that was once the moft popu-
lous
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ij
loxts flreet in Liibon. Think how afiededl
muft be in beholding it a mafs of brokea
walls, with open windows, through two or
three rows of which you difcovcred ftill far-
ther ruins ; a harbour for thieves, owls and
goats; in ihort, the feat of defolation !
After a long ride of four miles, for fb far
did this ftraggling town extend, we arrived
at St. ApoUonia, the quarter where my
friend dwelt. Lifbon, perhaps, covers as
.much ground as any city in Europe ; but
the temporary houfes built in the fuburbs
fince the earthquake have encreafed it*
We now, however, talk no more of this
calamity. The tumults in which the ftatc
is at prefcnt involved eclipfe, if I may be
allowed the expreffion, their former misfor^
tune, and will probably render me fpedlator
of many a melancholy fcene. It is faid the
nobles concerned in the noAurnal attack upon
the king will be executed in a few days. As
moft
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t$ . LE-TTtERS FROM
moft of them bore a fair charafter, and are
names known in the triumphant days of Por-
tugal, we cannot help dropping a tear of
Gompaffion for their fate* • Pity, however,
apart, I enjoy the utmoft tranquillity in the
midft of this genetal Confufioii. I fee the
lightning blaze round me, but its bolts reach
'. not my humble fituation*
LET-
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l»ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 17
L E t T E R V*
Lisbon, jan. 14, 175$.
H E flower of the Mobility was
executed yefterday* The marchionefs of
Tavora^ a lady who feems to have been ge-
nerally efteemed, died firft. She was be-
headedk Her hufband and two fons, together
with the duke of Aveiro, i^nd the Conde d*
Atouguia, were broken upon the wheel, and
an afTailin kft of all burnt alive* AH the
dead bodies that had been previoufly execu-
ted were confumed along with him^ and their
alhes fwept into the Tagus* Still more they
fay are to die ; but who or when God knows.
Some people tell nxe there is to be another
execution in a few days* You fee how myf.
terious every thing is here ; but fuch is the
government of Portugal* You (hall have
hereafter a fuller account of the whole affair,
C when
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iS LETTERS IF R O Ri
when I can get it with more authenticity ;
and in the mean time I will give you a d6-
fcriptioli of the earthquake, as related" by
every perfon in this city.
This fatal calamity happened on the firfl
of November, 1755, between nine ind ten
o'clock in the foreftoon. The weather was
ferene the preceding part of the morning,
and the fea perfectly calm, when all on a
fudden a noife was heard like a rumbling un«
der ground, which continued for fome time,
till at laft the fhocks began. In a Very Ihdrt
fpace they were feveral times repeated, and
the ground was feen to move up and down,
or tofs to iand fro like a fliip at fea. The
motion at firft was not fo violent, but as it
increafed by degrees, the floors and ceilings
began to crack ; the rgofs to fall, and the
arches to give way. From the ruins a pro*
digioUs cloud of duft immediately arofc,
which overwhelmed the city with fudden
. darknefs, but which gradually fubfiding, the
trembling
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t>ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 19
trembling inhabltahts of LifBon re-beheld
the San. Mr. Woodward^ the mafter of the
facket that brought me to Liibon^ was in
iiis (hip in the harbour at that time, and the
following is his account of the efie^ of the
earthquake upon the water. The firft thing
he perceived was the noife^ which he thought
refembled moftly that of another fhlp run««
'iiittg foul of his. He ftarted from his cabin,
but when he was upon deck faw no veflefi
near him. His doubts, however, ^ere foon
cleared by d view of the town^ which was
now rocking ; and in a (hort fjpace afterwards'
he faw the fleeples and. towers give .way,
and fall. Nor was his ihip exempt from
the agitations experienced upon the land.
She at firft feemed only to tremble violently,
but was afterwards moved perpendicularly
up and down upon the water. However,
neither Mr. Woodward's nor any other veffel
received any confiderable damage from the
flicicks. A grear many, indeed, broke their
cables and were driven out to fea, for the
C 2 pro-
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prodigious ftrength of the tide was very re-
markable, which changed often from ebb
to flow, and ran up an down with inconceir-
able fury. Nothing could equal in the mean
time the confufion of the inhabitants of
Lifbon. Some fled to the churches, others
from the churches (o their abandoned houfes,
and each feemed to imagine the prefent place
the moft dangerous. Some were heard to
lament their deceafed relations ; others were
feeking them in vain : all joined in lifting up
their fuppliant hands to heaven, and begging
mercy of the incenfed deity. Many thought
that the day of judgment was approaching ;
others that it was already come ; nor were
there wanting thofe who were afraid that
the earth would gape and fwallow up at once
the city with its inhabitants ; for, as every
wall was nodding, and a hideous found pro-
ceeded from the bowels of the earth, Lrifbati
did not only feem to be (haken, but torn
from her foundations. At laft the ground
ccafed to move, and the dull in time was
difli-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 21
diffipated by the wind. But the reftored
view of Li{bon increafed the horror of the
fcene. That once fo populous and flourifh-
ing city was now; as every inhabitant ima-
gined, no more. The houfes, ftreets and
alleys were ftrewn with dead bodies. Some
had their brains daflied out by the falling of
walls and arches, but the^ greateft part that
periflied were thofe who were fuffocated by
the weight of the rubbilh. They dug out
a few indeed alive; fbme after four days,
Tome after fix, and fome after eight ; nor is
it a little aftoni(hing they fliould furvive fb
long. The Roman catholics bring an in-
ftance of this in the perfon of Dionyfia Rofa
Maria, a girl of fifteen years of age, who
they fay is now living and well. Though
the cafe may not be authentic in every cir-
cumftance, I will relate it. When firft the
buildings began to Ihake, (he took faft hold
of an image of St. Anthony of Lifbon,
which {he had in her chamber. The hpufe
Jumbling foon after, fhecame dpwo along with
C^ it,
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22 LETTERS FROM
it, mixed and confufed in the ruins. Here
ihe lay buried for the ipace of eight days^
without food, till ihe was found among the
dead bodies, and taken out without the lead
hurt in the prefence of John Mello Sam^
payo, prelate of the holy patriarchal church.
In amends for this uncertain account, I will
give you another you may depend on, which
is the efcape of Sir Hvry FranlUand, the
Britiih conful. At the time of the earth?*
quake he was going along the town in his
chaife. The noife was the firft thing he
perceived, as indeed, it was with every
perfon. But he imagined, like the reftn
that it was only the Icing's coach, which
generally drives very faft. The ihock^
however, that immediately fucceeded, foon
convinced him what it was. He jumped^
therefore^ out of his chaife, and ran under
the gateway of a hpvfe, thinking it was
fafer than to remain in a narrow ftreet* He
had but juft taken flielter under the place^
when he faw the oppofite building fall upon
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 23
his qhaife apd feryants, and cru(h them to
pieces. In about a minute more, the houfe un-
der which he flood fhared the fame fate. The
blows he received from fbme falling ftones
having ftunned hirti, he lay for fome time
deprived^ of all fenfation. Upon returning
to himfelf, he found the houfe had fallen
hollow upon him, though he was confined
to {o fmall a compafs as to be able to touch
the impending ruins with his hand. What
fhocked him moft was, his haying fallen
upon a woman, who had taken refuge in the
fame place, and was now biting his arm in
the agonies of death* Having recovered his
ftrength a. little, he endeavoured to deliver
himfelf from this horrid fituafion, but fo
heavy a ftone lay upon his body, that' he
CPuld not fhake it off. The ftruggles he
m^de in doing it increafed the woman's
agonies, till death, at laft, eafed her of her
pain. The conful upon this renewed his
efforts, ^nd at laft removed the ftone far
enough to be able to crawl from beneath it.
C 4 He
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He did not think, however, that his fitua-^
tion was much changed for the better, as
the ruins did not permit him to ftand up ;
and he felt befides, that his thigh was con-
fiderably bruifed, and that he had a couple
of wounds in his fide. His thigh feemed
to have been evidently hurt by the great
ftone that fell upon it, but he cannot ac-^
count for his fide being wounded in that
manner, without it was owing to fomething
he fell againft, upon the firft crufh of the
building, before it had beat him quite down
to the ground. After he had remained fome
time in this melancholy fituation, he thoug^jt
he obferved at a diftance, that a little light
glimmered through part of the ri^ins. Here
he immediately crawled in the beft manner
he was able, and found it to be a fmall
opening between the rubbifh. This, by
pulling away the ftones gpntly, he gradually
enlarged ; for no fmall cafe was neceflary,
not to- bring the .whole upon his head*
After much trouble, he worked an opening
large
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^5
large enough for his body to pafs ; but no
fooner was he in open air, than the moft
difmal fcene poflible was prefented to his
view. He beheld unhappy Lifbon now laid
low in ruins; he heard the (hrieks and cries
of people buried under them, without being
able to give them any affiftance ; and what
made him think his efcape more providen*
tial was, the fiire having arrived to the very
ftreet where he then flood, as it was one of
the firft places in ^hich it got to any head ;
and by the delay of an hour or two he
would have been burnt or fmothered. But
of this fire (which ajl fay was worfe than
the earthquake,) I (hjjU fpeak more fully in
piy next paper.
LET-
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^f^ LETTERS FRpWf
LETTER VL
riSBoK^ JAM. la, 1759^
JL H £ wrath of Heaven wa» not yet fa-
tiat^ with the overthrow of liilwn, tho*
flear h?lf deftroye4 by the earthquake, asaci
cf)Qfe tc^ dP^i£^ it with a new an4 ftiU worfe
^iiafter* A fire broke put the fame day m
various parts of ^he city. This is eafi^ Re-
counted for by the timber and furniture fal-
Kng upon the fire-placea within the houfes
^fter th^ v/ere thrown down.. Befides, as.
it was the anniverfary of All Saints, the al-
tars of their churches were adorn»ed with
infinite numbers of wax lights. Nor was
rfiere help fufficient to check the flames 'up-
on their firft breaking out, as moft of the
people had been difperfed about the fielda
in a ftate of ftupefadtion. This gave thq
fire
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^^
(ire time to fpread on every fi4e, ^d in ^ur
days it copfumed wore than one half of th<
private houfes, and moft of the principal
buildings. | will not trouble ypu with ^
lift of the public edifices that were deftroyed*
To thefe we n^ay add the Ipfs of innumerat
hie records* publip deeds, bonds, books of
merchandize, pariih books of baptifms, fu^
nerals and genealogies, without which n(^
property can be fettled, nor rights of inherit
tance fufficicntly proved. Immenfe quanti-
ties of plate and money w^s either entirely
|oft^ or melted toother in a mafs^ fo as not
to be diftinguifhed by the owner* Nor were
multitudes of valuable pidures, hangings,
pearls^ diamonds, and other precious ftones,
ever recovered. In a word, every thing
magnificent' and valuable in the city was,
for the moft part, fpoiled or confumed by
the devouring flames ; and the o;ily way
left of determining property or debts, was
by the oaths of the parties, which many
were wicked enough to turn to their advanr
tage,
Nor
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18 • LETTERS FROM
Nor were the earthquake and fucceedmg
fire the only enemies to Lxfbon. The incre-
dible rifing of the waters bore away a num-
ber of people and things. It feems probable
that the motion which (hook the earth was
communicated to the neighbouring feaj.
Whatever might be the caufe,. undoubted
was the efFeft ; for at Cafcais, Setuval, Pe^
niche, and even at Cadiz, many people
were drowned by the inundations } and at
Lifbon the land was fo far overflowed by the
waters of the ocean, that bridges were de-
ftroyed, walls overturned, and many things
of immenfe weight carried off to fej.
The city being thus deftroyed, and th«
water affording but an inhofpitable afylum
to boats, the principal hopes remaining to
the inhabitants were to fly into the neighs
bouring fields. Hither they flocked in
crouds, uncertain afterwards whither to di-
red their weary fteps. Their flight had
feeen difficult ; for the town was encum-
bered
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^9
bered with heaps of ruins, which were often
extremely high. In fome parts they had
been obliged to force away the rubbifh with
their hands, and creep, or climb, according
as occafion offered. Many images of diftrefs
might be reprefented, but I leave your ima-
gination to form a piiSiure of the general
horror.
The King and Queen, with the Princefsof
Brazil, the Infantas her fifters, and the In-
fant Don Pedro, were at that time by good
fortune at their country palace, pleafantly
iituated three miles out of town towards the
weft. They got fafe into the garden at the
beginning ^ of the earthquake, and from
thence retired to a neighbouring feat, and
credted tents, where they livpd fome months,,
till a wooden palace was run up for them*
It was built at the fame place they were at
during the earthquake, by name Bellem,
but hames do not much fignify to you, who
were never upon the fpot.
In
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^ LfeTTERS tROM
In itay next paper you fliall hav^ {mM
account of the people^i proceedings, aftdr
thefe extreme calamities*
LET-
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PORTUtJALi SP^il^, i$c. 31
L £ T T E -U ViL
tI$80K, JAK. 25, I7S9*
X H £ mght fuccd^ding the earthquake
afforded but little reft to the late inhabitants
of t^on, ^tid that under the opeh air.
iThe fhocks were frequently repeated, and
the whole city lay involved in flames and
frhoke. Thoife wha, wearied ivith the fa-
tigue of the day, had funk down overpow-
ered by fleep, were fbon awakened by new
ihocks and by the cries of the furroundirig
multitude, imploring the divine mercy, and
the interceffion of the faints. Who could)
have imagined that the inhabitants of fo
populous, fo wealthy and luxurious a city,
ihould be reduced to fuch a degree of mife-
ry and want, as to have the eir^h alone for
their bed, dnd the air only for their cover-
ing ! They, at lift, however, had recourfe
to
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-»T7T
32 LETTERS FROM
to little tents made of blankets and iheets^
and afterwards ran up wooden huts, to de-^
fend themfelveS from the inclemency of the
weather. Provifions were likewifej at firft,
fb fcarce, that thofe who had nothing but
dry bread thought themfelves very rich and
happy. The King did what he could to
affift his fubjefts upon fo melancholy an
occafion. He diftributed medicines to the
fick> and provifions to thofe who were In
health. He furniftied feveral with materials
for propping their ruinous buildings, and
with money. In this latter refpeft, the
example of the monarch was followed by
the princes and princefles of the royal fa-
mily; and feveral other lords and private
perfons. The King made, likewife, variou9f
other regulations for the public fafety-
Among the refl, he ordered that none of
the magistrates or nobility ftiould leave
Lifbon, and that the price of things (hould
remain the fame as before. Perfons wete
' likewife fent to the provinces of the king-
dom^
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 33
dom, to invite thofe who had fled from the
city to return, and ufe compulfion, if necef-
fary, with the labourers and tradefmen. A
number of foldiers were ordered from the
difierent towns of Eftremadura and Alentejo,
to reinforce the king's troops at Lifton,
where they were employed in affifting the
minifters and royal officers in burying the
dead ; in levelling the ftreets and highways :
and in guarding feveral places from the
attacks of thieves. Of thefe there was
fuch a number difperfed about the town,
that no houfe was fecurc from being robbed ;
no church from bqing facrilegioufly plun-
dered. Nor were even the bodies of the
dead exempt, from their violence, as they
ftripped them of whatever was moft valua-
ble. Orders were immediately ifliied for
proceeding with the utmoft feverity, and
without delay, againft ofl^nders of that fort.
In confequence of which, thirty-four were
hanged within the fpace of a few days, viz.
eleven Portuguefe, ten Spaniards, five Iriflx-
D men.
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34 LETTERS FROM
men, three Savoyards, two Frenchmen,
one Polander, one Fleming, and one Moor.
The direftion of thefe affairs was committed
to the duke de Lafoens, the king's coufin-
german, and the firft peer in Portugal.
The great fhock, which lafted about
feven minutes, was followed by four more,
which, tho' of fhorter duration, were of
greater violence. The firft of them was at
eleven o'clock, a little above an hour after
the principal Ihock. The fecond was upon
the eighth day of the fame month of No-
vember, before break of day. The third
the eleventh of December, alfo before break
of day. The fourth happened the twenty^
firft of the fame month, about nine o'clock
in the mording. There has, however, been
befides a moft amazing number of flightea:
(hocks; and efpecially for the fucceeding
fix months after the firft. The earth too
opened in various places, but did not form
fuch caverns as have been reprefented by
fome,
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Imne, as the largeft crack was hardly able
to fwallow a man and horfe* Some of thefe
kept opigih for neat a fortnight. The tirater^^
likewifcj of the wells and fprings became
of a turbid colour and offfenfive fmelL But
one of the moft remarkable, as well as moft
hcH-rid^ e^e^ts of the earthqudce^ was the
dilkppearance of the key upon the river
Tagus, which funk under water, with above
a hundred and fifty people upon it. As the
cuftom-houfe flood near it, part of that was
fwallowed up alfo. The place was, out of
curiofity, fathomed a day or two after, but
no bottom could be found ; and for a long
fame there remained a confiderable depth of
water, which, however, at prefent is reduc-
ed to five fathom. It is faid that one
efcaped this horrid death, but I fliould hard-
ly think it poffible for the beft fwimmer to
refift the eddies of water occafioned by the
finking of the key. What number of in-
habitants were deftroyed'upon the whole, in
the earjthquake, is difficult to tell with any
D z exadnefs.
1
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26 LETTERS FROM
exa^nefs. A Portuguefe author thinks wc
might reckon them at about fifteen thoufand.
Some, indeed, pretend that fevcnty thou-
fand perifhed, but they do not feem to con*
lider, that the lofs of people was not in pro-
portion to the number of houfes demolished.
Certain, however, it is, that a great number
lofl their lives in this unhappy aflair, and
that Lifbon will, for many years, remember
the fatal firfl of November,. ^7^5-
LET.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 37
L E T T E R IX.
USBOKj JAN. 30, I7S9*
JU I T T L E or nothing more remains
concerning the earthquake worthy your be-
ing made acquainted with. What was princi-
pally apprehended immediately after it, was
the periftiing with hunger ; but when ^ the
(pace of a day or two had a little quieted thQ
apprehenfions of the labouring people, pro-
vifions were again brought from the country.
The city is faid to have made a moft horrid
appearance by night after it had taken fire.'
Jn the day time little more was to be ob^
ferved at a diftance but the fmoke. It no
fooner however become dark th^n the flames
were vifible, fliining bright through tfhe
windows of the buildings that; were ftill up?
right. . Nor were the f^iips in the harbour
totally fecure from the conflagration. The
P ^ wiu4
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«!-•
3« LETTERS FROM
wind blew fparks and lighted pieces of
wood upon their decks. Much care was
neceflary, for the failors Xo exempt their
veffels from the common fate of Lifbon*
It is faid, that one was quite fet on fire, and
having broken from her moorings, was
driven up the river by the current all in a
blaze. The Englifli faftory, after Ibme
days, united, and with much difficulty
hired a houfe a few miles out of town, where
they lived together a month* This union
was the more necefTary, as the Roman ca-^
tholics were, at this time, particularly bi-»
goted ; and, confequently, more than ordi-
narily vehement againfl the proteftants.
They proceeded almofl by force in making
profelytes, and in one cafe did adually fb,
A malicious idea had likewife gained fbme
little ground, that heaven had afHifted th^
city of Lifbon in this . nianner for fufFering
fo many heretics to dwell in it. And yet
the Englifli church was the only one that
had remained unhqrt under its {^ry. Thefa
idf^s,
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«»
PORTUGAL, SPAIN, kc. 39
ideas, added to the fanatic madnefs of their
priefts, who ran wildly about the ftreets,with
relics and crucifixesin their hands, crying out
repentance and confeffion, made the Englith
moil defirous of collecting themfelves into
a body, which they did, as I have already
mentioned. They never undreffed for the
firft fortnight, and flept in a room all toge-
ther; lying upon the beft materials they
could get, and in their chamiberhung burning
an old lanthorn. Every noife alarmed them,
and every motion was an earthquake. In
confequence of thefe agitated imaginations,
they were continually hurrying out of doors
in great confufion. The gentlemen in th^
mean time difpatched their fervants to
Lifbon, to fecure the ruins of their houfes
from . being plundered, as they were in-
formed of the great quantity of robbers,
notwithftanding the frequent executions of
the government. And even thefe fervants
were fcarcely able to reftrain the audaciouf-
nefs of the rogues, who were hardly driven
D 4 out
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40 LETTERS FROM
out from one corner, than they returned on
the oppofite (ide. In a few days each per-^ ~
fon began digging in his refpeftivc ruins,
and many things would have been recovered,
if the fire had not mixed and deftroyed the
whole. Curiofities of this kind were after ••
wards fold at a high price, as gold and filver
,run together, and other things of this fort.
The merchants, however, fufFered princi-9
pally by the lofs of their books, as it inca^
pacitated them from claiming debts, which
the Portyguefe wefc unwilling to pay.
During this interval of time, the workmen
had runup a few flight houfes of wood, which
were inhabited for above a year, till better
^accommodations caufed them to be aban-
doned. New buildings, however, were not
allowed to be raifed within the precindts of
the city, as the coyrt had, foon after the
earthquake, ifliied out an edidt to the con-
trary. The intention of this was to give
time to prepare a proper plan for the re-
building of the town, wbich^ they fay, has
at
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PORTUGAL SPAIN, &c- 41
at length been ^vcn out ; but nothing has
been put in execution ; nor, indeed, has any
thing been done (ince the earthquake, except
removing the obftrudion of ftones and
lumber from the ftreets. The deficiency
of money is reported, and with probability,
to be the caufe of this delay, as the frelh
duties laid upon imports and exports for
that purpofe, are by no means fufl^cient to
^^fwer fuch expences,
LET.
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4t LETTERS FROM
LETTER X.
LISBON^ FEB. J, 1 759,
JL W I L L now attempt to give you fome
accowit of the late difturbances that have
happened in this kingdom of Portugal. It
is not, however^ eafy to get the certain
truth of every thing, upon account of the
great fecrecy this government ohferves in
all its proceedings.
The Portuguefe jefults considering them-
felves injured by their being prohibited from
preaching and hearing confeffions in thefe
dominions, upon account of their conduct
in the Brazils, had for feme time nouriihed
an inveterate hatred againft the king and
preient government. They had, at laft,
fettered themfelves with being able to re-
venge
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 43
vcnge their imagined wrongs by ftirring up
the Tavora family^ and ibme other nobles
that were difaffe^d to his majefty, to an
open attempt againft his life. One of the
principal incitements they made uie of, was the
vinlawfulcorrefpondencefuppofed to be carried
on between the king and the young marchio^
nefs of Tavora, wife to the young marquis of
the fame title, who fufFered a few days ago*
The jefuits, and Malagrida, one of them in
particular, did not fail to exaggerate the
heinoufnefs of this crime to the uttnoft of
their power. They reprefented how igno-
minious it was, that a perfon, who had the
honour of being allied by marriage to the
illuftrious name of Tavoria, Ihould become a
proftitute eveii to a king. That all his
titles oughH npt to defend this haughty
violator of the moft facred laws of religion
from their vengeance ; that hisj death was
regiftered in heaven, and the authors of it
would be guilty only of a venial Jin^ for
whigh the caufe would ^alily atone. In
thig
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44 LETTERS FROM
this manner, and byfimilar exprefiions, are the
jefuits reported to have inflamed the Tavora.
family to their defired pitch. Nor did they
leis (hew their art, in uniting to their in*
terefts a rival of the Tavoras, by name the
duke of Aveiro, who, notwith(^andin^ fbme
fevGurs received, had been always a pro-
fefled enemy to the king apd hi9 adminif^
tration. Things thus prepared, feveral ru^
mours and prophecies were ipread abroad*
that the king's life was not of long dura*^
tioD ; and (Qme even limited i( to the month
of September laft, on the third d*y of which
the aiTaffination of the king w^ attempted.
The perfons concealed in it> wore, the? 4vk^
of Aveiro, th^ mjirquis. of Tayora, with kt^
wjfe, and two fons ; the count of Atouguia,
his fon in law ; Jofeph Romeiro, a corporal
, in one of the regiments belonging to the
Tavora family, who were all in the army^ »
Emanuel Alvarez Ferreira, Antonio Alvarea^ •
Ferreira, and Jofeph Policarpio ; the firft
valet de chambre . of the duke of Aveirq,
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IPORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 45
land the two others relations of Emanuel
Alvarez Ferreira* Thefe, with John Mi*
guel^ the duke's footman, completed the
number that were to attack the king. They
determined to execute their defign one nigbt^
as his majefty was returning from the young
marchionefs of Tavora, who was then at
hef country feat, fbme few miles out of
Lifbon. This was the third of September^
Accordingly, the duke of Aveiro, with his
footman, John Miguel, pofted themfelves
the firft in the road, where the king was
to pafs, under a fort of arch ; which has
lince, upon that account, been pulled down«
Antonio Alvarez Ferreira, and Jofeph Poli-
carpio, were ftationed a little below them,
upon the fame road. The duke's piece
miffed £re, as the king pai!ed in his chaife*
Thepoftilion, who obferved the fparks flruck
from the flint, fpurred his mules to a full
gallop. This rendered the aim of the other
two, placed below the duke, very uncertain;
but they did, at laft, by galloping after the
chaife,
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H6 LETTERS FROM
chaife^ fire through the back of it^ and
wounded the king, though not mottalljr*
He would not, however, have efcaped the
remaining parties on the road, placed iUU
lower, if he had not ordered his poftilion,
upon finding himfelf hurt, to go immediately
to his furgeon general's houfe, by which
means, as the road luckily turned off at that
place, he efcaped their ambufcade.
The king was no Iboner pafCsd,. thatt th6
feveral parties reunited, uncertain of the
eSe&s of their attempt. Some affirmed that
the king mufl have fallen ; others were
doubtful of their fuccefs. The next morn-*
ing they heard the mortifying news of his
majefty's being arrived at his palace and
wounded only in the arm. Upon this they
formed a fort of council of war, at which
the old marchionefs of Tavora was pfefent,
as fhe was it all their meetings. They here
agreed upon there being no fear of a dkco*
very, and that provided they ren^ained true
to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 47
»
to each other^ mortal power coujkl never £i«
chom the fecret* But the abilities of th^
prefent fecretary of ftate^ Sebaftian Jofeph
de Carvalho, thwarted their hopes. Not
was he forry, I believe, for the prefent op*
portunity of cutting oflF fbme noblemen,
who, envious of fo much power being con*
fored upon a fimple gentleman, were conti*
finally opposing his advancement* He was
formerly envoy from Portugal to the coutt
of England, but recalled, it is faid, by de-
lire of our king. The Portuguefe are thought
to deteft him, but fuffer in filent indignation
the favourite of their fovereign. By his
advice the prefent affair was as much as poA
fible ftifled. Reports were immediately if^
fued, that the king had been (lightly wound-
ed by robbers, on his return from the
country. In the mean time no underhand
means were negleffced to difcover the trai-
tors, which by great art was at laft imper*
fedlly done. But when Sebaftian Jofeph
found them of ^ high rank, not a little ad-
drcfs
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4S LETTERS FROM
y
drefs feemed (till wanting to fubmit them t<»
his power. He defired his royal mafter to
behave towards them with the ufual civility^
whilft he collected in and near Lifbon the
major part of the forces of the whole king*
dom, under pretence of invafions from
Spain, and other fiAitious tumults. No
fooner were they arrived, than guards were
ient to the various houfes of the criminals,
who were all, with the major part of then-
relations, taken up in little more than the
(pace of one hour. Sebaftian Jofeph now
threw off the maik, and publilhed a mani-
fefto, ordering every perfon to declare what
they knew concerning the prefent confpira-
cy, or they would be confidered as equally
culpable with the criminals themfelves.
An embargo was alfo kid upon the fhipping,
nor was any perfon permitted to go out of
Lifbon, without a pafsport. This embargo
caufed fome words between the commanding
officer of three Englifli men of war, then
in the Tagus^ and the fecretary of ftate ;
but
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PORtUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 49
but they at length got leave to depart with
other Englilh (hips. I will conclude, by
(hewing you a little the ftyle of this coun-
try, and fending you a tranflation of the
latter edid, publi(hed by Carvalho, forbid-
ding any perfon's departure from Li(bon
without a pafsport. The former, obliging
every Portuguefe fubjed to give in informa-
tion is much longer, but I may perhaps
^ve it you in my aext paper,
" Royal Edia.
^' Our fovereign lord the king commands,
^^ that no perfou or perfons whatfoevcr, be
** their condition or quality what it may,
^* dare to depart from this court, or its ad-
^* jacent.diftrift, either by fea or la;>d, until
** fre(h orders from us, without the faid
^' perfon or perfons do firft appear, and
** juftify their departure in the pre fence of
** Dodtor Stephen Peter de ^aryalho Di-
** (imbargador, inhabiting ^t Santa Marina;
*i zx\d appointed, by his majefty to receive
E « the
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£o LETTERS FROM
^* the faid juftifications, as alfo to iffue out
^* proper pafsports refulting from th^m ;
^' and this under penalty, that the perfon
or perfons daring to depart without fuch
pafsports, ihall be re(:ondu6):ed to Lifbon
^* at their own expence, beiides being liable
^* to due punifliment for difpbedieuce to
€C
the royal commandf
*^ N. B. Thefe pafsports are only to rc«
main in force for the fpace of four and
twenty hours.
*♦ Given at our palace at Bellem, E)eccm*
*' ber 13, 1758.
^^ (Signed) Sebajlianyofeph deCarvafho,
♦t
LE r^'
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 51
LETTER XI.
LISBON, FEB. 7, 1759."
A H E following is the royal manifefto or
edid obliging every Portuguefe fubje£t to
give due information.
cc
Although the fubjefts of Portugal
^ have for many ages been celebrated for
' the obfervation of that inviolable attach*
* ment due to their kings and natural
* fovereigns, cultivating with the greateft
' piety thofe holy and unalterable obliga-
* tions ; yet have we, notwithftanding,
* been fo unhappy in our days to find, that
* among the very natives of this kingdom,
* certain particular perfons there are, who,
* forgetful of thofe ancient and noble exam*
E 2 " pies
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52 LETTERS FROM
** pies, have with infernal idea dared to
*• form a moft facrilegious and abominable
" confpiracy. It began with their fuggeft-
** ing and declaring underhand, in order to
" abufe the fincerity of thofe perfons who
*^ were adorned with more pious inclina-
*^ tions, that our royal life was not to con-
^* tinue long ; uttering this in the tone of
** prophecies ; hay, even limiting the time
*' of our death to the following month of
*^ September, No fooner had the faid con-
^* fpirators, by fimilar malicious rumours,
** difpofed the minds of the people to their.
" delires, than they proceeded to more atro-^
*' cious anions ; and to verify their predic-
*' tions by the never enough to be abhorred
" attack made upon our royal perfon, the
'' third of the faid month of September*
^' We were paffing, at eleven at nighty
" through the little field, * in order to retire
*^ Called in Portuguefe campo pcquenho, in pppofition to
c^ftipo grande, or the great field, not far from it.
" to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 53
to our palace, when three of the afore-
mentioned confpixators lying in wait on
**.horfeback, in the aforefaid place, under
** cover, of the low,houfes thereunto adjoin-
" ing, did with ever infamous and execrable
*' treafon, at the back of the chaife in
which We were fitting, fire three piftols
or blunderbufles, fo deeply charged with
flugSi that although one miffed fire, yet
** the other two were fufficient, not only
*' to make two round apertures of enormous
** bignefs in the hack of the chaife in
*' which we were fitting, but even to break
^^ and tear aWay every thing they approach-
" ed ; fo that mortal judgment cannot form
" idea how our royal perfon, when confined
** within fo narrow a compafs, could efcape
"with only receiving many deep wounds,
*' was not the whole to be attributed to that
" omnipotent hand, which by evident mira-
" cles preferved and defended us, amidft
" the ruins and horror of that dreadful
" attack. Now the facred principles of all
E 3 p laws,
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Ci
54 LETTERS FROM
laws, divine, natural and civil, being
moft facrilegioufly offended by this adlion,
to the univerfal jfhame of religion and
humanity; thefe confiderations render it
indifpenfibly neceflhry to avenge this
crime, efpecially, as the fcandal is fo
great from thence redounding upon the
€€
a
" loyalty of the Portuguefe, w,hofe excel*
'* lent fentiments of honor, love, and gra-
titude towards our royal pcrlbn, would
never permit them to be at eaiif, without
the moral certainty, that this moft execra-
** ble confpiracy was torn up from its very
** roots, fo as not to leave among our faith-
** ful fubjeds one of rhofe monfters, who
*-^ dared to arrive at fuch a height of enor-
" mous w;ickednefs. We decree, therefore,
** that all thofe perfons, who fhall manifeft
unto us (provided they prove what they
declare,) any one or more of the traitors
concerned in this infamous confpiracy,
** the faid informers (hall, if plebeians, be
** immediately created gentlemen ; if geii-
** tlemen.
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tie
4€
€i
PoRtUGAL, Sl^AlN, &c. 55
'** tlemen, fliall have our letters patent for
** becoming fidalgo ; * dr, if fidalgo,
" knight of fome order> with all the privi-
** leges thereunto belonging; in fine, be
their rank what it will, we will grant
unto them {till higher titles and honors^
over and' above all which honors, the
** faid informers fhall eiljoy many pecuniary
advantages, as wdl as offices of juftice,
court places, and niilitary preferments :
referving to ourfelf, and to our judgment,
" th« regulation of thefe rewards, accord-
" ing to the nature arid importance of the
" fervice adminiftered* Nor fhall the ac-
*' complices of this abominable confpiracy,
" fo not principally concerned, be exempt
** from the abovementioned favors, befides
*• which, upon due confeffion and informa-
" tion, we here grant them our royal
** pardon. Our magiftrates, likewife, who
* Or hidalgo m Spanifii, is a rank in Spain and Portugal,
which anfwers to that of oiUr noblemens* fonis.
E 4 '^ fliall
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** (hall apprehend fuch criminals, fliall
** have new honors and advancements due
** to their fervices conferred upon- them ;
'*^ enjoying moreover all the foregoing re-
*^ wards^ in cafe of their being alfo in-
** formers ; for no perfon can nor ought to
** conceal malefaftors of fo high a nature,
*^ upon the falfe idea that the charader
** of an informer is difreputable. We here
*^ advertife all our fubjedls, that reflexions
** like thefe, though they may take place
*' in trivial affairs, are not only not to be
*' incurred by difcovering aftions of con-
** fpiracy and of high treafon againft the
** fupreme prince, but, on the contrary,
" thofe who know any thing of fuch
^'.crimes, and do not publifh what they
** know in proper time, incur the penalty
** and the fame di(honor with thofe crimi-
*' nals who are convicted of fuch fafts*
*^ Nor are fathers excufable in concealing
** their children, or children their fathers,
'* as the prior obligations towards their
king
a
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l^ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. |y
^' king and country, the common fathers of
** every fubjeft, always prevail before the
** ties of birth ; efpecially in mifdemeanors
** of fo atrocious a nature, and fo prejudi-
f' cial to fociety. And for the eafier appr6-
*' hending of the faid criminals, it is our
" royal pleafure, that the power of all our
" magiftrates within this kingdom be uni-
" verfal, extending itfelf to every part of
" the kingdom ; and all being invefted with
" a fimilar power, fo as to be able to aft
" from their own authority with regard to
" the fpeedy apprehending of criminals,
** without waiting for orders from the im-
" mediate magiftrates of the crown. Nay,
" fufpefted perfons may even be taken up
" by private men, provided they conduct
" them forthwith to the neareft magiftrate,
" who, finding due caufe of fufpicion, (hall
" fend them properly fecured to this court.
" The Doftor Pedro Gonfalvez Cordeiro
*' Pereira of our council, and Difimbargador
*' of the palace, fhall caufe this our decree
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* to be affixed In all J)tiblic places within
the city of Lifbon, and the diftrifts ad-
* joining ; fending copies thereof, figned
with his name, to all the othelr towns
* and cities of thefe kingdoms; and we
* declare, that the faid copies fhall have
* equal force and authority with their ori*
* ginals, notwithftanding any law, difpofi-
* tion, or cuftom to the contrary, be they
' even among the number of thofe to dero-
* gate from which requires our exprefs
* command,
** Bellem, December p^ 1758*
" Signed with his majefty's feal/*
LET-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN/ &c. 59
LETTER XIL
LISBON, FEB. 10, 1 759,
X H E royal edift of which I gave you a
tranflation m my former paper, was, accord-
ing to the order, hung up in all confpicu-
ous parts of the city, and foon after the
Juez del Povo, or, as we might call him,
the mayor of Lifbon, prefented the follow-
ing fupplication to his jnajefty, through the
hands of his fecretary of ftate, to whom it
wasaddrefled*
i€
The mayor of the city of Lifl)on has
" the honor of begging your excellency
** to lay before the royal prefence of his
" raajefty, that his moft Juft edid was with
" many tears read by all his faithful people
" of Lifbouj all of whom earneftly demand
** juftice
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it
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** juftice againft an attempt fo nearly afFe^-^
•* ing the loyalty of the Portuguefe, and
** for the avenging of which thdy with
impatience expeft the royal orders* His
excellency is like wife defired to aflure his
majefty, that it is the moft fervent wifli
of his loyal fubjefts to fhed the very laft
*^ drop of their blood in the defence and
^* for the glory of their fovereign.'*
Whilft thefe edifts and addrelles were in-
terchanging, the unhappy criminals were
fuffering various tortures in their refpeftive
prifons. It will be difficult for me to afcer-^
tain the names and exa£t liufnber of the
nobility that were now under arreft, and it
will be fufHcient to tell you, they were
efteemed the' flower of Portugal. They
were all taken up, as I have before remarked,
at the fame time, and without the leaft ftir
made in their defenpe by the populace, who,
though they might have entertained fimilar
inclinations, were rendered incapable of
putting
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PORTUGAL, SPAI^N, &c. 6i
putting them in execution, by having been
deprived of their arms. This was by order
of the minifter, and in confequence of it,
every houfe had been fearched by foldiers,
and all weapons feized, particularly in gun-*
fmith's (hops, and other places wh^re they
were to be found in quantities^ Gentlemen,
howeyer, and efpepially foreigners, were
treated with more civility, and tjieif \yor4
of honor that • they had no arms was fuf-
ificient. They were promifed* to be returned
jn a few days, but I have not yet heard of
its being done. As for the government'sj
proceedings againft the principal crimmals,
during their continuance in prifon, it is
difficult Xo get at the truth of them. Vul-r
gar rumour Ipads them with chains, and
ftretches them upon racks ; but I (hould
think without better foundation than our
paturaj propenfity to iniagine the worft of
what we are ignorant. That they fufFered
tortures to 'enforce confeffion is, I believe,
tf ue J but I cannot thin^ th^t human nature
could
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<a LETTERS FROM
could grow fo wanton In puniihmentsi as
common report was reprcfented ; nor that the
duke of ^ Aveiro was kept perpetually riveted
to earth* Some, indeed, who were prefent
at their execution affirmed that they had loft
the ufe of their wrifts, which might be true^
without fuch. horrid torments being ufed, as
make nature fhudder, and imagination fleet
with hafty wing to happier climes.
But the government was fo myfterious that
we were not even certain there was to be an
execution till the preceding evening ; when
Ihe ereftion of a fcafFold fufficiently aiani^
fefted that fome perfon was to die in tho
morning ; but who were to be the viftims
remained equally unknown. In the morning
of the 13th of January, before break of day,
a large body of troops marched to the fquare
of Bellem, the place where they had eredled
the fcafFold. It con lifted only of plain boards,
not even covered with black cloth, a thing
very uncommon when pgbjes are to die* It
was
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN^ &c^ 63
was done to ihew that they were degraded
from their rank by the a£tion they had com«
mitted ; and for the fame reafon the fervanta^
Sec. were put to death with their mafters#
Kot long after fun^rife all was in readinefs
for the execution, of which I will now give
yQU the bei): defcription in my power, from
faearfay ; as I was not prefent, nor ever will
at fcenes of this nature. My ears, how«
ever, were unwilling auditors of every mi^
nute circumftance, as the world feems to
have pleafure in the recital of unfortunate
events. The firft conduced upon the fcaf*
fold was the marchionefs of Tavora, a lady
who bore a great character in Liibon for her
good nature and gentility. She was behead-
ed, tho^ not with an axe in our manner, but
with a kind of long broad knife. She fat, or,
I believe, was rather tied to a* fort o^f ftool,
from behind which the executioner, with one
ftroke, feparated her head from her body.
This was the principal of what could be ob-
ferved by the fpe£tators, the neareft of whom
were
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(54 L,ETTERS FROM
were kept off above an hundred yards from
the fcafibld by the furrounding troops. Some
people in ihips might, indeed, be nearer, as
one fide of the fquare of Bellem is bounded
by the Taguff* The knife glittered much,
as the fun flruck upon it, while the execu*
tioner was holding it behind the marchionefs
of Tavora. She was dead by eight q'clock— r
but we did not know who was to follow her.
There was a report about this .time tba^ the
guards, who patroled the ftreets, permitted
no perfon to approach the fquare of Bellem,
but without foundation. No fooner v{zs the
marchionefs executed, than they placed her
eorpfe upon a fort of bench prepared upon
the fcafFold. They threw a black cloth over
it. Her eldeft fon at length fucceeded his
ujihappy mother in his death. His fate was
more rigorous, ^$ he wa? broken upon th?
wheel, or, to fpeak raqre properly, ppon a
fort of St. Andrew's Crofs. He was tied to
thefe two pieces of wood, and laid flat upon
(he ground, ^ft^r which the eci^e^utioner,
with
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i?ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 65
With a large iron crow^ formed at the end,
in fome meafure, like a hammer^ ftruck him
nine blows, two upon each arm and leg, and
one upon the breaft^ which was imagined to
be given firft. But for the truth of this we
muft give credit to the trial, and their fen-
tences, which were publiflied about three
days afterwards ; as none of the fpedators
were near enough to diftinguifli upon what
part of the body the blows firft fell, tho*
moft agree that the duke of Aveiro was, un-
doubtedly, broken alive. In this manner
perifhed the fecond,-*-that young lady's huf-
band with whom the king is reported to have
had his intrigue. He is faid to have been
very apprehenfive of death, as likewife the
duke of Aveiro, whom, indeed, I ought not
yet to mention, as he was executed the laft
but one^ ithe third vidtim who appeared
upon the fcaffold, .was the younger fon of the
marchionefs of Tavora, who, tho' but a laa
of eighteen years old, is faid to have behaved
the beft of all. He knelt for fome moments,
F before
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66 LETTERS FROM
before the corpfe of his mother, and was
afterwards executed in the fame manner as
his brotheFt Next came the father, who .
fufFered the fame punifliment, tho' if we may
believe the fentence, the coup de grace was
given him the very laft ftroke. The Conde
d* Atouguia died next. His lady is reported
to have loft her fenfes, tho' the nuns of the
convent where (he is confined, had ftridt or-
ders not to inform her of her unhappy huf-
band*s fate. But rumours only of what had
happened, together with the cortiplaints of
her children, might well be fufficieiit to turn
her brain. All the ladies whofe hufbands or
relations were concerned in this affair are
now confined in convents with their fami-
lies. Each family have a particular inonaf-
try allotted them for a prifon, without any
communication being permitted with the reft.
After the execution of the Conde d' Atou-
guia, Bras Jofeph Romeiro, Juan Miguel,
and Emanuel Alvarez Ferreira, all of low
birth, were broken upon the fame kind of
St.
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l^OkTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 67
St. Aadrew's Crofs. The ninth that fufFer-
fed was the duke of Aveiro, who was broken
alive. The bodies of the criminals, ak foon
as they expired^ were laid upon an equal
number of wheels prepared on pupofe* Thefe
mournful inftruments were nailed horizontally
upon high poles^ and covered with black
cloth after their bodies were extended upon
them^ if I may ufe that expreffion, as one
df the ohjefts which principally ftruck
the beholders, was the contracted mafs in
which they lay* Though the wheels , were
fmall, their mangled limbs did not reach be-
yond their circumfereoce ; but the black cloth
hung perpendicularly down in the circle
which they formed^ The moft terrible exe-
cution now approached, that of Antonio
Alvarez Ferreira. He was fentenced to be
burnt alive, together with Jofeph Policarpio
de Azevedo, the two perfons who had
wounded the king. Jofeph ' Policarpio, how-
ever, had found means to fly the kingdom,
tho' in what manner is uncertain. Some fay
F 2 tliat
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68 LETTERS FROM
that returning on horfeback to the duke of
Aveiro's, the day that nobleman was arretted,
— upon feeing his palace furrounded with
guards, he galloped to the out-(kirts of the
town, and there giving fome money to a
beggar to exchange clothes, paffed in that
manner through the Portuguefe troops potted
round Lifbon. But in whatever manner he
efcaped, he, undoubtedly, only fufFered exe*
cution in effigy, whilft his companion, An-
tonio Alvarez Ferreira, was bound in reality
to the ftake» They girt him only with a
chain about his middle. The fattening it to
the ftake took up fome time, during which he
feemed to behave with great refolution, as he
did likewife while they were furrounding him
with' rofin, pitch, tar, and other combuttible
r;.?iterials. They laid the fame alfo round the
other executed bodies, which were all by the
fentence to be reduced to afties, and thrown
into the fen. After thefe preparations, the
mangled carcafes of the antecedent fufFerers
were uncovered, and the poor remaining cri-
minal
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 69
minal had the whole melancholy fcene dif-
played to his view. They then (et on fire in
various parts the entire fcafFoIding. It is
reported, however, that the pitch was fo
badly laid about the unhappy fufFerer, that it
^as long before the flames, interrupted by a
contrary winxl, reached him ; and that he was
feen for fome time to wreath about, and evea
his fhrieks were faid to have been heard by
piany. As foon as the pile, bodies and all,
were confumed, tho- not fo' perfe£tly as they
ought to have been ; the aflies were carried
away in balkets, and thro^yn into the Tagus,
which, perhaps, at Bellena may almoft de-
ferve the name of an arm of the fea. After
this they covered the place of execution with
fome new mould, and tho' I was upon the
very fpot the next morning, I could hardly
diftinguifh any difference between that and
the adjacent ground. Thus finiflied this fa-
tal day, long to be remembered in the annal^
jpf Portugal.
F| |,ET.
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J
I
70 LETTERS FROM
LETTER XJIL
LISBON, Feb. 13, 1759?
X W I L L now give you a tranflation of
what the court publiflied immediately after
the execution you have had fp terrible an ac-?
count of in my foregoing paper. I fhall then
^ell. you what we know concerning the je^
fuits, to all whofe convents Sebaftian Jofeph
piit a guard of fpldiers at the fame time that
he caufed the nobles to be arrefled. But what
I am going tp (end a tranflation of, will take
up fome room, without I can contrive to
abridge it, which I will endeavoyr to do,
^^ The cpunpil and difimbargador qf our
" fovereign lord the king, . agree, &c. and
" have, by force of law and decree of his
** majeily, after confultipg all depofitipns,
f^ papers.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, ice. 71
" papers, allegations, articles, and defences
** conderhned the following perfons; viz.
** Jofeph Mafcarenias, who was duke of
^* Aveiro ; Domia Leonoro de Tavora, who
** was marchionefs of the fame title ; Fran-
** CIS de Affis de Tavora, who was marquis
^* of the fame title ; Don Lewis Bernar-
** do de Tavora, his fon, who was likewife
** marquis of the fame title ; Don Jerony^
^* mo de Ataide, who was count of Atou-
^^ guia; Jofeph Maria de Tavora, aid dc
" camp to his father the Tate marquis ; Brafs
" Jofeph Romeiro, lately corporal of the
" company which belonged to Lewis Ber-
^* nardo de Tavora, the criminal ; Antonip
^* Alvarez Ferreira, Jofeph Policarpio dp
^^ Azevedp, Enianuel Alyarez Ferreira, valet
♦* de chamhre to the criminal Jofeph Maf*
^^ carenias, and John Miguel^ footmian to the
^' ffiid criminal.
F4 ^* For
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71 LETTERS FROM
" For firft,
" It is proved, partly by theconfeffion of
'* moft of the criminals, and partly by eye
witneflfes agreeing with the former, that
Jofeph Mafcarenias, late duke of Aveiro,
** had conceived a mortal hatred againft
** the king, becaufe his majefty had fruftra-
" ted his defigns of getting into his own
*' hands all influence in the government, a
" thing which he enjoyed in the late reign
** by means of the Friar Gafpar da Encar-
" najaon, his uncle. He had alfo been
" hindered by the auguft and facred perfon
^* of our fovereign lord the king from mak-
" ing feyeral chaccs and commendaries
hereditary in his family, which* he was
to enjoy only for life, as well as from
marrying his fon, the marquis of Gouvea,
to Donna Margherita de Lorena, next
fifter and immediate heirefs to the prefent
duke of Gad^vaJ ; by which marriage he
hoped to unite the riches of the houfe of
^adayal to his own ; the prefent duke not
^' having
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 73
^* having yet had the fmall pox, which is
^* fatal in that family, belides his being a
" minor, and yet unmarried; from* enter-
" ing into which marriage ftate jfofeph
** Mafcarenias endeavoured to hinder him
*' by encouraging law fuits againft him, in
^* order to put his revenues into fuch con-
" fufion, that he might not be able to bear
" the expences which attend marriage in
(/(
perfons of his condition.
** zdly. It is proved that the faid Jofeph
^* Mafcarenias labpured to get into his party
^* all malecontents, and other perfons that
^' were out of favor, and by his calumnies
*' and hatred againft his majefty ftill in-
^^ oreafed their difaffeftion ; exhorting them
^* to fly from and abhor the king's fervice,
" fetting them the example of it, and fay-
^* ing oftentimes, that when an order tame
" for him to go to court, it was the fame as
*' if an order was fent him to cut off his
*^ legs;.i}ay, l)is x^fh prefumption hurrie4
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*^ him to fuch leftgths, that he flattered
♦• himfelf, and with pleafure hearkened to
** people who told him that he had no far-»'
^ ^hcr to rife thai^ to the throne^
3dly, It is proved, moreover, that
whereas the faid Jofeph Mafcarenias had
always an irreconcileable av^rfion to
^- the jefuitSr, during the adminiftration of
•• his uncle Friar Oafpar da Encamajaon,
•^ and alfo after his death ; yet upon their
•V being forbidden the palace for their be-
*• haviour in the Indies, he was fuddenly
*' reconciled to them, viiiting them fre-
•' quently in all their convents, receiving
" their vifits, and holding long conferences
'* with them in his houfe ; ordering his
" fervants to bring him word direftly when
** they came, and recommending alfo to his
*• people an extraordinary fecrecy upon the
** . fubjed of thefe reciprocal conferences. '
»
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 75
*' 4thly, It is proved, that the confe-
ff quence$ of this reconciliation with the
*^ jeiiiit?, were, firft, that they alfo decla-
**' red themfelves enemies to the king and
*^ his government ; fecondly, that they una-^
*• nimoufly agreed^ af the conferences held
at St. Anthony's and St* Rock's, and in
Jofeph Mafcarenias's houfe, that the only
means of changing the goyernment was to
^' contrive the death of the king, treating**
^* this projefit as the common caufe, the je«
^* fuits affuring the prifoner, that there was*
^* no fear of his fufFering for thi§, attempt, as;
^* when the king was once dead, all would
f* be fooq hufhed upj, and giving it as their
f ' opinion, that themur4er of the king would
f ' not be even a venial fin, with other maxims
?' of the fame nature, which would be too
" ofFenfive to pious ears, were they to b6
^* mentioned. All this fhocking doftrine
*' being maintained in repeated meetings of
^^ this prifoner, the jefuits and other ac-
f ' complices of the qonfpir^^y*
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76 LETTERS FROM
•* 5thly, It is proved, that the faid prit
*^ foner and the jefuits got into their plot
•* Leonora de Tavora, late marchionefs of
•^ the fame title ; and this, notwithftanding
** her old and fettled averfion from Jofeph
•^ Mafcarenias, arifing from difference of hu-
•^ mours; oppofition of intereft, and a kind
•^ of rivalihip in pride and ambition : But,
^* although their reciprocal averfion was
•* increafe^ by his endeavouring to deprive
*^ her hufband, Francifco de Affis de Tavora,
^* of the eftate of Magaride, and of the
•' free lands of his family during his abfence
*' in the Indies ; yet, notwitftanding all
•' this, the malice of the jefuits, and the
'* malignity of this criminal wqrej of
•' force fufficient to induce the faid Leo-
^* nora de Tavora to enter into this infamou^
** confpirapy,
^' 6thly, It is proved that the late mar-
f^ chipnefs being entered into the plot, both
*^ (he and the jefuits labored to perfuade all
^' th^ir,
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 77
^* their friends that Gabriel Makgrida the
*' jefuit was a faint. In confequence. of
*' which the late marchionefs performed her
*^ fpiritual exercifes under his diredion^ and
'f made a (how of following all his councils,
" caufing thereby the following pernicious
** evils : ift, that her houfe became a daily.
** aflembly of murjuurers againft the king ;
*' 2dly^ that the common converfation in
*' her houfe was of treafons and plots againft
** the king ; many fchemes being contrived
*' for executing the defired affaffination;
*^ 3dly, that the marchionefs embraced a
** conformity of deteftable fentiments with
" Jofeph Mafcarenias; making agreements
*' at the faid late duke'^s houfe for killing
•* the king ; 4th ly, that the marchionqfs en-
'* tered into a confederacy, not only with
*' her conftant direftor Malagrida, but alfo
•• with the jefuits John de Matos, John
•• Alexander, and others ; 5thly, that flie
** made herfelf one of the three chiefs of
'* this confpiracy, and got into it by her
** authoiity
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9« LETTERS FftONi
^* authority and artifice^ and the methods
*' before mentioned, all thofe perfons Ihe
** could impofe upon ;. 6thly, thatfheaflb-
*• ciated herfelf^to the perpetrators jof the
•• affaflination of the third of September^
*• by giving fixteen moidores^ as part of
'* theii" teward, to thofe infamous and de-
•* teftable monfters> who, ill that fatal
*• night, did the facrilegious deed, for which
*' we all now weep.
*' Jthly, It is ptoved, that as (he had
** gained a defpotic afcendant over her huf-
** band, fons, daughters, and fon in law ;
*' (he got into the plot, and engaged in the
*' alTaflination her h\ilband, fons, fon in law^
** brothers in law, and friends, ufing as an
" inftrument fo to do, not only the opinion
** (he had attempted to fpread of Malagrida*s
•' fanftity, but alfo certain letters Malagri-
•* da ufed to write to her, de(iring her to
** induce all her relations to come to Setuval
" to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN/ &c. 79
to make their fpiritual exercifes under his
" direftion.
4t
<C
8thly, The firft that was drawn into
" this horrid plot was Francifco de Affis de
*^ Tavbra^ late macquis of the fame name,
" deluded bjr thefe chiefs of the confpiracy,
** his wife, the late duke of Aveiro, and
** the jefuits. He mixed in all their confer-
ences in the before mentioned places, and
gave twelve moidores to the late duke^ as
his quota of the reward to the * affaffins*
** In particular, it is proved that he was in
one of the parties pofted in the fields to
kill the king ; that after the affaffination
" he was feeen in the field behind the late
" duke's garden, talking with the other ac-
*' complices of the affaffination, and was
" prefent next morning at the meeting in the
^ faid garden, Where Ibme found fault with
" the aflaffins for not doing their work ef-
" feftually, and the late marquis and others
" boafted, that the king Ihould not have ef-
[^ caped
a
i(
<(
«
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*o LETTERS FRORi
" caped them^ had he pafied by tha
<i
place where thejr were pofted;
** 9thly, The fedond drawii into this con-
" fpiracy, by the fame perfons and the iamtf
•* means^ wa» the late marquis Louis Ber-
nardo de Tavora. Againft him it is proved,
? that he was prefcnt at all the aforefaid
*^ conferences^ and offered arms and horles to
** execute the aflafiination^ two days before
" which he fent two horfes fecretly, with all
** their furniture, to the late duke's ftables.
** Moreover, upon the fatal day, September
^* the third in the evening, he was (hut up
" in private conference with his father and
" brother Jofeph Maria de Tavora, contrary
** to his cuftom, after which he was in one
" of the parties ported to kill the king ; and
" next morning at the before mentioned
" meeting of the confpirators at the lat*
" duke's houfe.
lothly^ The.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c; 8i
" lothlj. The third drawn into the plot
^' by the fame means and fame perfons, was
^^ the late count of Atouguia, fon in law to
^^ the late marquis and marchionefs of Tavo-
'* ra. It is proved, that he, with his wife,
** were prefent every night at the before
** mentioned conferences, and that he gave*
" rfght moidores to the affaffins, as his quota
" of their reward ; that he was in one of the
** parties pofted to kill the king, and that
** he /and his wife were prefent the next
*^ morning at the late duke of Aveiro's.
*^ t ithly. The fourth drawn into the plot,
*^ by the fame means and fame perlbns, was
*^ Jofeph Maria de Tavora, aid de camp to *
*' his father, the late marquis of Tavora. It
" is proved againft this unhappy youth, that
** he was in one of the parties pofted to kill
** the king ; and that after the horrid at-
" tempt was made he aflifted at the council
*' of the accomplices holden upon the fpot,
'^ on the north fide. of the late duke of Avei-
G " ro's
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82 LETTERS FROM
^' ro's garden, near the pallifades which you
" muft pafs to enter his houfe. He was
** moreover at the meeting next morning,
^* and upon their talking of the miraculous
" manner in which the king^s life was pre-
" ferved ; he pronounced the following bar-
*' barousand facrilegious words r ** For my
" part, he fliould not have efcapedme.'* .
" i2thly, The fifth perfon concerned
" \yas Bras Jofeph Romeiro, by whofe con-
'* feffion it appears, that he had lived with
** the late marquis of Tavora from the year
'* ^749» l^sd accompanied him when he
** went viceroy to the Indies, and after his
** return had ferved the young marquis, his
*^ eldeft fon, being a corporal in his compa-
** ny, clerk of his kitchen, and a great fa-
" vourite. It appears moreover, by hiscon-
" feflion, that the late young marquis had
** told him what had pafled in their meet-
'* ing, the evening before the affaffination ;
'* that both the late marquifles, father and
*' fmi,
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Portugal, s^ain, &c. 83
^* fon^ ordered him to lead the horfes they
*' had prepared, to the place where their
'^ moft execrable crime was to be perpetrated.
*^ That he was to ad[juft the different parties,
** and that he placed himfelf in one of them
•^ together with the late marquis of Tavora,
^* the father ; and that he was in the extem-
** porary council holden to the north fide of
*' the late duke's garden,
** i3thly, Thefixth And feventh drawn
*' into this conipiracy, by Jofeph Mafcare-
** nias (heretofore duke of Aveiro) were An-
*^ tonio Alvarez Ferreira, who was formerly
** valet de chambre to the faid Jofeph Maf-
^* carenias, and Jofeph Policarpio de Azeve-
*^ do, brother in law to Antonio Alvarez
*^ Ferrcira. It is fully proved, that Jofeph
'* Mafcarenias fent his prefent valet de
" chambre, Emanuel Alvarez Ferreira, to
*' call Antonio Alvarez Ferreira his bro-
" ther ; to which latter he opened the affair
'* in a'hut behind his houfe at Bellem, with
" great charges of fecrecy, ordering him tQ
G 2 *• way-
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*' way-lay the king's chaife, and fire at it
" jointly with him. But Jofcph Mafcare-
'* mas and Antonio Alvarez Ferreira after*
" wards agreed, that he, the faid Antonio,
" fliould fpeak to his brother in law Jofeph
'* Policarpio to be their accomplice. In ef*
** fed: he fpoke to this faid Jofeph Policaipio,
*' and both of them fettled and concerted af-
*' fairs with Jofeph Mafc^renias, with whom
*' they frequently went both on foot and
*' horfeback, in order that he might (hew them
^' and make them know the king*s chaife. He
*^ alfo ordered them to buy two unknown
" horfes, which Antonio Alvarez Ferreira
" bought, one of Lewis de Horta, who livesin
" the Patio do Socorro, for four moidores; the
** other of a gipfey, called Emanuel Scares,
** who lives in Meravilla, for four moidores
*' and a half. The faid Jofeph Mafcarenias
•' alfo ordered them to buy unknown arms,
'* but Antonio Alvarez Ferreira did not buy
** them, for he and his brother in law made
*' ufe of a blunderbufs^pf his own, and ano-
'' ther
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. I5
^^ ther that he borrowed, and two piftols
^* which he borrowed, under pretence of
** trying them, of a foreigner, tliat lives ia
*^ the houfe of the count of Unhaon, and
*^ foon after the attempt reftored them.
'* Thefe were the arms with which Antpnio
" Alvarez: Ferreira and Jofeph Policarpio
^' fired at the king's chaife. The reward
" which thefe two aflaffins received for their
" bloody work, from Jofeph Mafcarenias,
^* w^s forty moidores, fixteen at one time,
^* four at another, arid twenty at another.
** Immediately after having fired at the
•* king's chaife, they ran over the fields till
** they got to the paved road without the
^* Qmnta de Meyo, which road they foon
^' left, to turn up the lane of the Guarda-
** mar da Saude, and fo retired to Lifbon.
** Two days after Antonio Alvarez Ferreira
" went to the late duke's hpufe, who had
" fent for him, and who told him peevifhly,
*' that his fire was good for nothing, add-
** ing, -moreover jj with his finger laid upon
G'3 « hi^
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86 LETTERS FROM
'' his mouth, and much at his eafe, " that
*' the devil himfelf could not know what
'' they had done, if he did not difcover it v'
" and he told him not to fell the horfes im-
*^ mediately, to avoid fufpicion. So that
** Antonio Alvarez Ferreira, andJofephPo-
« licarpio, his bmther in law, were, \in-
** doubtedly,^ thofe horrid monfters that dif-
" charged the pieces, which wounded the
** facred perfon of his majefty.
" Hthly, It is proved, that the eighth
*• perfon drawn into this confpiracy by Jo-
** feph Mafcarenias,.was Emanuel Alvarez
** Ferreira, who often went to tell his bro-
" ther Antonio Alvarez Ferreira, the aflaf-
•* fin, to come to the faid Jofeph Mafcare-
*^ nias. This perfoii got the cloak and wig
, *' in which Jofeph Mafcarenias wa§ difguif-
^* ed the night of the aflaffination. More-
^' oyer he concealed the ceftain knpw ledge
*^ he had from his brother of the confpi-
«* racy three or four days after the fafl:
" w^s
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 87
** was committed, till he was apprehended.
" It was he too that in the Quinta* de Azei*
'* taon drew his fword ^gainft the magiftrate
*' Lewis Antonio de I^eiro, as he was
'* with no lefs honor than refolution at-
*' tempting to flop the flight of Jofeph Maf-
*^ careniaSf
•' 1 5th, It is proved, that the ninth af-
V fociate, led into this plot by the before
'* mentioned chiefs, was John Miguel, foot-
^* man and confident of Jofeph Mafcarenias.
^* It was known, that pne of the name of
** John was with Jofeph Mafcarenias at the
^' time of the affaffination ; and it appears,
^' by his his matter's own declaration, that
** it was John Miguel, whq was with him
^^ under the arch when he the faid Jofeph
^* Mafcarenias took aijn againft the king's
<« poftilion, and drew the trigger, but hjs
•^ piece miffed fire.
* QymtJ^ U a villa^ or country houfe.
(^5 4 " i6tbly.
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88 LETTERS FROM
" x6thly, It is proved, that the three fore- ^
meixtipned chiefs of thisconfpiracy execut*
ed the fame by the ailiftance of all thefe
*' confederates in the foUowing manner.'*
4t
•^T'
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, «fc. «9
LETTER XIV,
^isBoVy Feb. 16^ i759*
1 7thly, 1 T is proved^ that after the
two chiefs of this horrid cpnfpiracy,
^' Jofeph Mafcarenias and Leonora de Ta-
** vora, had raifed the neyer enough to be
V detefted collection, to the making up of
*• which ;the above mentioned accomplices
*• contributed, fo that in all they raifed the
** trifling fumof 192 millrees" (30 pieces of
^6 (hillings, or 40 moidores), " which was
^* given as their reward to the two barbarous
^* aflaffins, Antonio Alvarez Ferreira and Jo-
^' feph Policarpio ; and after that Louis Ber-
^* nardo de Tavora had fent his two horfes
•* with their furniture to the ftables of Jor
** feph Mafcarenias the fame night of the
*^ aflafllnation, to* which f^me ftables Fran-
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4C
^ LETTERS FROM
•* cis de Aflis de Tavora likewife fent three
'^* other horfes, which were left there by
** his poftilion and Bras Jofeph I(.omeira
the corporal ; and after that the before
mentioned Jofeph Mafcarenias, the fame
•* night of the affaffination, had likewife
♦' prepared, and fent into the fields lying
" behind the wood-b\iilt houfe of Antonio
" Jofeph de Matos his fecretary, the other
" horfes neceffary, which \Ycre taken from
*' his own {tables, and called S?rra and
^* Guardamor, with two other unmarked
•* horfes" (the horfes of blood in thefe coun-
tries are always marked upon one haunch)
•* called Palhavan and Coimbra, which with
the horfes bought by the two affaflins,
Antonio Alvarez Ferreira and Jofeph Po-
" licarplo, made up the number of eleven ;
^* after all thefe things the eleven copartners
•* of this horrid impiety went and mount-
•* ed them, placing themfelves in difFer-
•^ ent ambufcades along that little fpace of
** ground which lies betjveen the north end
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 91
^' of the Quinta de Meyo, and the fouth
** end of the Quinta de Cim, by which the
**. king ufually returns home when he has
*^ been out in private.
*^ iSthly, It is proved, that juft as the
^ king had turned the comer of the north
*' wall of the Quinta de Meyo, as fbon as
*' ever he was come from under the arch
^* which flood in that place/' (it is now pul-
led down as having given fhelter to fo atro*
ciousadeed) *' the faid chief of the confpi-
** racy Jofeph Mafcarenias, who was in com-
^* pany with his fervant and confident John
•^ Miguel, and another of the criminals, ad-
^* vanced a little forwards, and fhot ofFhispif-
^* tol or blunderbufs, taking aim at Cuftodio
" da Cofta the poflilion, who was driving his
♦* majefty, but his piece mifled ^re. The
** poftilion hearing the noife of the trigger's
*' going down, and feeing the fparks fly from
** the flint, without faying any thing to the
" king, galloped on with his iiiules as faft
". as
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9t LETTERS FROM
^* as ever he could in order to avoid a (econd
^* fire, as he faw the former attempt i^as
*' aimed at his life. Now Jofeph Mafcare-
^' nias's piece miffing fire was the firft mira-
** cle which divine Omnipotence operated in
^' favor of thefe realms ; for had the pofti-
** lion been killed^ the life of his moft
** facred majefty would have been in the
^* power of thofe horrid monfters then in
** arms, and in ambufcades fb clofely fet
** againfl his auguft perfon and moft pr€«
^* cious life,
*' ipthly, It is proved, that upon account
** of the poftilion*s going fo very faft, the
" t^o barbarous affaffins, Antonio Alvarez
*' Ferreira and Jofeph PpUcarpio, who we're
^* ftanduig a little way below Jofeph Maf-
^'•carenias, at t^e end of the new wall,
*' Gould not take fo good aim as they wifhed
at the chaife, and were obliged to follow
it on full gallop, in order tQ fire off their
" pieces
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fC
PORTUGAL, SPAtN, &c. ^j
pieces as well as they could againft the
•* back of it. It was by thefe two never
enough to be detefted parricides that the
auguft perfon of his majefty was wounded
quite from his fhoulder down his arm to
" tKe elbow, both on the infide and out,
" befides a great deal of flefh being carried
*' away ; nay, his breaft was even torn, and
" a number of fhot were afterwards ex-
*' traded from it. For, to (hew the cruelty
"of thefe affaffins, inftead of charging
'* their pieces with balls, they filled them
** with very large Ihdt, to render their fa-
'* vage and never fufficiently to be abhorred
** delign more certain. This was the fecond
** miraclewhich divine Omnipotence operated
^* in that fatal night, to the common benefit
'* and advantage of thefe kingdoms. For
•* in the common courfe of things it is not to
^' be conceived how two fuch charges fhould
pafs through a fmall chaife without de-
ftroying the perfons who were in it.
" 30th,
4t
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•' aoth. The king, to avoid the three dei?
lays, of going to the palace, fending for*
the furgeon, and theil the delay of his
comings ordered the poftilion to turn about
and drive dire&ly to his furgeon general's
houfe, by which means his majefly, thro'
an extraordinary providence, efcaped the
other parties that were laid in wait for
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him«
•* 2 1 ft. It is proved^ that Jofeph Mafcarenias
** and the reft that were lying in wait for the
•* king, retired immediately by private paths
** to the road that pafles by the north end
*• of his garden, boafting among themfelves
*' of what they had done.; and the late
** duke beating his blunderbufs againft a
'* ftone, and faying, " the devil take you,
" when I want you moft, you do me no
** fervice!" And when Francis de Affis, the
•* late marquis of Tavora, expreffed a doubt
"whether the king was killed or no, the
" late duke replied, " it does not fignify, if
*'' he
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^
" he is not dead, die he Ihall.** Another
*' anfwered, our point is to find him fix)m
'^ home, &c. Jofeph Maria de Tavora alfb
" very much at his own eafe inquired for
" John Miguel, and why he was not come
" up, which he did a very little time after.
^ The next day the infatuated council of
** the accomplices met at the late duke of
" Aveiro's houfe, in which fome boafted of
** what they had done; others accufed the
^* afTaflins of bungluig ; others faid that the
^' king fliould not have efcaped them, had
" he gone on the ufual road, and not turned
** back down the paved road of the Ajuda,
" towards the Junquicra*
" 2 2d, Although all the foregoing cir-
" cumftances had not been fully proved, as
^' many of them rarely are in cafes of the
^' like nature, tho* in this affair by a frefli
** and evident miracle the horrid impieties
*' of each criminal are fully verified ; yet,
** even without luch ample proofs, certain
" pre-
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9& Letters from
** prefumptions of the laws would have
* been fufficient for the condemnatioa of
** the criminals ; of which prefumptions
** there are many to be made againfl the
^* chiefs of this confpiracy^ and efpecially
*^ againfl: the jefuits, and the heretofore
'* duke^f Aveiro.
•»
•• 23d, It is prefumed, in confirmation of
•* what we have laid down in the foregoing
•* articles, that he who has once been bad,
** will always be bad in the fame kind of
•* wickednefs as that he before committed^
f Now not only once, but many have been
** the iniquities that thefe two chiefs of the
** confpiracy, the jefuits aiad Jofeph Mafca-
** renias, have plotted againfl: the government
** of our fovereigii lord the king, by a feries
*' of fadts from the very beginning of his
*' reigfti
• ** 24th, Moreover with regard to the je-
" fuits, as they faw, by reafon of thegre at
" fupe-
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t^ORTUGAU SPAIN, &c. gy
** fuperiority of fenfe and difcernment in
•' our prefent fovereign, that It was impoffi-
*' ble for them to preferve in this court the
** defpotifm to which they pretended, and
*' knowing alfo that without this abfolute
power there Were no means of covering
their ufurpatious in Portuguefe Afia> Afri-
ca, ^and America, much lefs of palliating
'" the war that they had kmdled by a formal
'* rebellion in the northern and fouthern
parts of the Brazils ; feeing this, .they
contrived againft the reputation of his ma*
^* jefty arid the public repofe of thefe king^
** doms this moft calumnious and deteftable
** fuggeftions and intrigues ever known, to
** alienate, by thefe means, from their
^* afFeftion to his majefty as well natives as
** foreigners, and have fevefal times at-
'* tempted divers execrable proje£ls in order
** to excite fedition, and bring the fcourge
" of war upon thefe realms. From all
** which it is concluded that the jefuits hav-
** ing committed thefe impieties againft the
H '' king
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9R LETTERS FROlVf
** king and his kingdoms, fall exaftly under
** the beforementioned rule and prefumption
•' of law, that he who has been once bad
/* will always remain fb, in the fame kind
*' of wickednefs ; and even if the principal
•* proofs were wantmg, they would always
be prefumed to have contrived the aflafli-
nation, till they can fhew others againft
** whom there are equal prefumptions.
*' 35th, The law moreover prefiimes, that
** no perfon would conmiit a crime, with-
** out having a great intereft in the com-
** miflion of it. It is moreover prefumed,
" that he who has the greateft intereft in a
** crime is the author of it, till he can fliew
*^ who was the author, or juftify himfelf.
*' Now the jefuits having, as we have be-
^^ fore faid, the greateft intereft in this con-
^' fpiracy, in order to change the prefent
'* government, by depriving the king of his
'^ life, this bare prefumption of law would
** be fufficient to repute them guilty of this
** execrable
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 99
'* execrable treafon^ without they can juftify
'^ themfelves.
*' 26th, But all the proofs and prefump-
** tions here laid down are moft exceedingly
" ftrengthened, when it is confidered, thaf
while the king was diifconcerting the be-
fore mentioned plots of the jefuits, and
*' difmiffirlg the confeflbrs he had of that
*• order^ and forbidding them to enter the
**. palace, during all thefe proceedings, in-
** ftead of humbling themfelves upon ac-
** count of fb many reftriftions, on the
** contrary their arrogarice vifibly increafed,
*' boafting publicly, that their being forbid-
** den the court fignified little while noble-
** men fought them in their clpyfters, and
*' that the avenging hand of Heaven hung
*' heavy over the former, fuggeiling that the
** life of his majefty would be fhort, and
** fpreading about rumours by means of all
*' their followers, that he would not live to
*/ the end of the month of Auguft, writing
H 2 '' the
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" the fame in frequent letters to different
** parts of the globe, nay, even adding that
** September was at fartheft to be the fatal
•' month in which the precious life of* his
*' majefty was to end. Gabriel Malagrida
*^ in particular wrote fimilar prognoftications
** in the tone of prophecies to feveral people
*' of this court. However they entirely al-
** tered their manner of fpeaking and writ-
*' ing, upon the nobles being arrefted, which
" was in the morning of the thirteenth of
•* December laft. The following poft day
" for Italy, the nineteenth of the fame
" month, the provincial father John Hen-
*' riques wrote to Rome, a« well as others
*^ of the faid order, who inftead of haughty
" terms, and prophecies of death and re-
'* venge, which were fo frequent in their
*^ mouths before, in this poft made ufe
'* of much more fubmiffive expreffions, tel-
** ling their friends that the marquifles of
*' Tavora, the duke of Aveiro, the marquis
" of Alorna, the count of Atouguia, and
^ . . '* others.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. loi
'^ others, had been taken up on account of
** the king's being (hot at on the third of
*^ September, adding, that foldiers were
'* placed at all their convents, and begging
*^ their brethren in Rome to recommend
^* them to Heaven, of whofe afliftance they
** flood in need, as not being able to refift
^^ the ftorm which they feared was going to
" break upon their heads. That all their
** brotherhood was very much afBifted, and
** recurred for comfort to the fpiritual exer-
^' cifes oif father Malagrida. That the
*^ world efteemed them as acconiplices of
♦* the fatal attack pf the third of September,
** and had already condemned them in their
*^ own imaginations either to be imprifoned,
** or exterminated and totally expelled the
** court and kingdom. That they were in
*^ the greateft ftreights, and reduced to the
■ ^ greateft calamities, full of fears and an^
^- xicties, without any comfort or hope of
" being relieved from them, &c. Now this
^* contradi^lory bohaviour of the jefuits be-
B 3 '[ fore.
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fore and after the (hooting of the king
is a clear demon/lration that before the {aid
attack they had confidence in their con-
fpiracy, and therefore fpoke and wrote
•* with fo much pricfc and fpiritual arrogance,
^* iffuing out their horrible and facrilegious
** prophecies. But after thefeizureof the
^^ nobles on the thirteenth of Decemberr,
*• and the guards being fet at their Convents,
^* feeing themfelves difcovered, and thofe
** they had ftirred up to be their accom-
** plices loft, and upon the verge pf being
*' punifhed, they fell, with all their chime-
** rlcal ideas of greatnefs, into that iownefs
** of fpirits which is the conftant attendant
^' upon the being guilty of a grime without
** knowing how to cover it.
27th, (The foregoing prefumptions of
law are produced againft the duke of Aveiro,
after which my author goes on thus:) *' But
^* he fell from that height of pride and arror
*^ gance ^s foon ag he found the confpiracy
^' had
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. loj
** had failed ; and not having refolution
** enough to appear at court, he retired to
** the Quinta de Arataon, where he was
*' taken, after having firft attempted to fave
** himfelf by flight, and afterwards by a
'^ vain refiftance,
^' 28 th, The fame prefumptions hold
** good, likewife, with regard to Donna
^^ Leonora de Tavora, heretofore marchionefs
" of that title, and the third principal In
** this horrid confpiracy. Her proud fpirit
** and infatiable ambition were notorious.
** She was of a more daring and intrepid
*^ difpofition than was ever feen in perfbns
** of her fex, and therefore capable of incit-
^* ing and undertaking the moft defperate
•* attempts. Hurried away by her blind,
*^ tho' ardent paffions, fhe and her hufband
^^ fupplicated the king to give them fome
^^ dukedom, tho* the infignificant fervices
they had done to his majefty had been
H 4 " amply
4C
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** amply recompenfed by fending the late
** marquis viceroy to India ; for an example
'^ is not to be found in all the annals of this
** kingdom, of the title of duke being ever
given for fervices of much greater confc-
quence, as were thofe of many and very
great heroes, who have adorned the hiftory of
Portugal by their illuftrious deeds. Thefe
if
** two criminals were, moreover, always
.** perfecuting the fecret^ry of ftate in a
€i
public manner, without regard or fhame,
to grant the aforefaid title, to which they
had fo abfolutely infignificant pretenfions;
^* yet they continued to demand it cis ^ debt
** that was by juftjce ^ue to them, which
'^' obliged the fecretary to check their im-
*' portunate entreaties and reafqnings, by
*^ telling them in ^ fivil and honorable
^* manner, that there was no precedent of
" any fuch title being conferred for fuch
" kind of fervices. It was this neceffary
^' fruth that firft hurried the m^rchionefs
^* into
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 105
^* into her alliance with the duke of Aveiro,
** hoping by his means, after the death of
"the king, to be able to enjoy that title (he
** fo much defired, and which fhe fo much
** envied him. And it is manifeft to every
** perfon, that all this pride, haughtinefs and
" ambition with which (he behaved, before
" the horrid aftion of the third of Septem-
" ber, fell into that langour and confufion
** which attends a guilty confgience when
^ * the crime is difcovered.
" 29th, AH the above nxentioned proofs
^' having been thoroughly examined, his
*' maj^fty in conjmi£lion with his council,
*' to whom he has for that end given a
^^ larger jurifdidion and authority, in order
*^ that they may be able to inflid punifh-
^* ments in fonie meafure adequate to the
** execrable and fcandalgus qrimes of the
^* before mentioned infamous and facrile-»
** gious criminals, 4?cree— r— p-^p,-. .
Thm
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Then follows the icntence^ which I will
ipve you in my next . paper, and if I can
ihorten it a little I will, tho* I am delirous
jou fliould fee the whole form and ceremony
of our proceedings in this country. I will
make np remarks upon the prefumptions of
law alledgcd towards the latter end of this
paper, as you will be better able to do it
than myfclf.
LET.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, «pc. 107
LETTER XV,
LISBQl^, FEB. 20, 175^
<$ W E fentence the criminal Jofeph Maf*
^* carenias, late duke of Aveiro, who has
^* been already outlawed, and deprived of all
** the honors of a Portuguefe and yaffal to
^* his majefty, degraded fropi the order of
^* St. Jago, and delivered over to the court
^^ and the arm of fecul^r juftice here admi-?
^* niftered, as one of the three chiefs or
*^ principal authors of this infamous con*
^* fpiracy, as well as of the horrid affaul^
** which was the efFed of it ; we, therefore,
** fentence him to be conduced publicly
*• with a halter about his neck to the fquar©
^^ of the key or mole of Bellem, and there,
" upon a high fcafFold for that purpofe to b©
" ere£led, in oyder that his punifhment may
*' he in viewpf the whol^ peoplcj^ fo much
^^ pfFende4
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fo8 LfeTTERS FROM
** ofFended by the fcandal of his moft inju-
** rious crimes, Ihall he be racked alive, by
** breaking the bones of his legs and arms
^* both great and £rnall, to the number of
** eight ; after which he fhall he expofed
*• upon a wheel for the fatisfaflion of the
•< prefent and future fubje£ls of thefe king-
•* doms, which behig done the aforefaid cri-
** minal fhall be burnt alive, together with
** the fcaflbld upon which he was executed,
** till the whole Ihall by fire be re4uced to
^* duftandafhes, which fhall be thrown in to
*^ the fea, in order that of him and his
^* memory no traces may bo left. More-
*^ over all his eftates real and perfonal are
*' confifcated, his coat of arms is to be
** beaten down or erafed wherever it is
*' found, his name to be cancelled where-
*' ever it is written, all his houfes and other
^* edifices to be demolifhed and razed to the
** ground, fo as not to have the leaft mark
^* of them left, but the places are to be re-
^* duce4
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PORTUGAL SPAIN, &c. 109
" duced into fields, and fait feattered upon
** the fpot where they flood.
** We fentence the crimmal Francis dfe
•^ Affis de Tavora, late marquis of the fame
** title, chief alfo of the confpiracy, into
** which he was drawn by the perfuafions
** of his wife, to the like punifhment with
** Jofeph Mafcarenias, having been pre*
" vioufly in the fame manner outlawed and
'* deprived of the honors of a Portuguefe.
'* We too, having refleded, with the feri-
*^ oufnefs and circumfpe£tion neceflary in
" affairs of this nature, that the faid, crimi-
" nal and his wife were not only perfonal
" adlors in this horrible confpiracy, treafon
** and parricide, but by their artifices made
" the enormous crime common to the reft
•* of their family, arriving therein at their
** aim, and perverting the greateft part of
" their faid family to their wicked in-
" tentions ; and boafting with idle and
" overbearing vanity, that their union alone
"• '' would
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iw LETtERS FROM
•• would be fufficient to effed: their diabolicaf
^' machinations, decree, that no peribn, of
** whatever ftate or condition, fhall after
•• the publication of this fentence dare to ufe
*' the iimame of Tavora, under pain of all
" his goods being confifcated, and himfelf'
'* outlawed and banifhed from the king-
^* domsf and dominions of Portugal, thereby
** lofing all the privileges that now belong
** to him as a native thereof.
*' As for the two favage monfters Antonio
** Alvarez Ferreira and Jofeph Policarpio de
*^ Azevedo, who difcharged fhofe pieces from
** which the fupreme majefty of the king
*' received his wounds, we lentenee them
*' to be conduced with halters about their
^* necks to the aforefaid fquare of Bellem,
" where, after being chained to two hi^
** poles eredled for that purpoie, they are to
^* be furrounded with fire, which is to con-
^* fume them alive, till their bodi« Ihall be
** reduced to duft and aflies, to be thrown
** into
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PORtUGAU SPAIN, kc. in
** Into the fea a^ before exprefled. More*
** ov?r their goods are confifcated, and the
** houfes in which they dwelt are to be de-
*^ moliflied and deftroyed, fuppofingj how-
*^ ever, they are their own property, in
** which cafe fait is likewife to be fcattered
^ upon the place where they ftood. And
as the criminal Jofeph Policarpio is not
to be found, we here profcribe him and
•V declare him outlawed, and order all the
" magift rates in the kingdom, in their refpec**
^' tive towns to fummon the inhabitants
" together, in order to find him out JsHid apr
•' prehend him, or in cafe of their not being
" able to take him alive, to kill him, fup-
" pofing, however, that thp perfon who kills
•^ him be not his enemy. And the perfoa
*^ or perfons who fhall bring the faid Jo-
** feph Policarpio alive to Pedro Gonfalvez
" Cordeiro Pereira, juftieiary of high trea*
•* fon within this realm, fhall receive at
" fight the reward of ten thoufand new
*' crowna;" (a new crown is fomething
abov^
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He LETTERS FROM
above half a crown Eiiglifh) " fuppofing^
•* hi^jfi to be taken in the dominions of this
•* kingdom ; or of twenty thoufand crowns if
taken in any foreign country, befides be*
ing repaid the expences they may hav^c
** incurred in bringing him to the aforefaid
•* fenator Pedro Gonfalvez Cordeiro Pereira.
CI
€C
We fentence moreover the following
** criminals, Louis Bernardo deTavora, Don
** Jeronymo de Ataide, late count of Atou-
" guia, Jofeph Maria de Tavora, Bras Jo-
y {eph Romeiro, John Miguel, and Ema-
•\nuel Alvarez Ferreira^ to be conduced
** with halters about their necks to the fcaf-
^' fold to be erefted for thefe executions,
where they fhall be ftrangled firft, after
which the great and fmall bones of their
arms and iQgs (hall be broken, and laid
** upon wheels, and their bodies reduced by
** fire into alhes, which fhall be thrown in^
** to the fea as above mentioned. More-
" overall their eftates real and perfonal, and
" other
€i
<t
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 113
^* other goods are confifcated, and perpetual
** infamy is intailed upon their children and
** pofterity. The houfes where they dwel-
** led, fuppofing them to be their own pro-
** perty, are to be demolifhed and rafed to
** the ground, and fait fcattered upon the
** fpot wher^ they Aood. Moreover the
** coats of arms that any of thefe criminals
*♦ have borne to this time, are to be beaten
** down to the grpiind and erafed,
** Laftjy, we fentence the criminal Leo-
^* nora de Tavora, wife of the criminal
♦* Francis de Affis de Tavora, excuiing her
** upon juft confiderations from the fevere
** punifliments her primes d?ferve, to be
" conduced with a halter about her
*' neck to the befpre mentioned fcafibld,
♦' where her head (hall be fevered from her
** body, both which fliaU afterwards, be rer
" duced by fire to aflieai, to be thrown like-
" wife into the fea. Moreover all hereftates
** i:eal and perfonal are tonfifcated, and all
I '' th*
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114 LETTERS FROM
^* the other punifliments are to take place
♦^ in her denounced againft the crimmal Jo-?
** feph Mafcarenias, and Francis de Affis de
** Tavora, in order to blot out entirely the
♦* memory of there having be^n fuch perfons
f upon the face of the earth.
€€
ii
" At the palace of our lady of |ielp, in the
meeting of the 12th of January 1759,
figned with the feals of the three fecreta-
>* ries of flate who prefided at it, with the
*' names of the following judges under^
► * written :
Cordeirq
•^
Pacheco,
Bacalhaon,
Lima,
, were prefent."
Souto^
Pliveira,
Machado^
.
Then comes the
royal feal, whjch cont
eludes the whole*
Maft
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. iis
Moft of th6 goods and furniture of the
unfortunate noblemen who were executed
have been felling by auftion, and the Eng-
lifh fay in a bad manner, nay that evea
every thing moft trifling, as dirty caps and
fuch things, were included in the fale. Some
other nobles are to be baniflied, and the reft
that are in prifon to be releafed. The king
has granted for life to his fecretary of ftate
Sebaftian Jofeph de Carvalho forty body
guards^ who ride after his chaife with their
fwords drawn, &c. An oflScer with a drum-
mer attending hini and beating at their head
render him a very pompous figure. The
reafon afflgned for thi? is left any of the fa-
mily of the poor nobles ftiould chufe to re-
venge their death upon him, whon^ every
perfon efteems the author of it. However,
I fancy a little ambition is at the bottom, as
to defend himfelf from a ftiiletto four guards
would do as well as four hundred. The
ladies that were vi^ives or other relations to
the nobles are ftill in monafteries, from
I i whence
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whence I (hould think they would not chufe
to come out even if they could. The young
marchionefs of Tavora is likewife in a con-*
vent, (he who is fuppofed to be the real
fpring of all this myftery ; and you fee in
what the court has publifhed, tho* they tell
you exaftly where the king was going, yet
they fay nothing of whence he came at that
time of night without any guards or even
a fervant to attend him, and only an un--
known perfon in the chaife. Indeed, with-
out fomething of that fort, the whole ftory
would be incoherent, for that the Tavora
family fhpuld be fo ftirred up againft the
king, becaufe his minifter would not make
them dukes, feems a thing difficult to be i
believed. What appears tQ me moft parti- ,
cular is, that tho' the king was known to I
frequent the young marchionefs for above
three years before, yet this flame of Portu-
guefe revenge (hould break out fp late* This
can only be attributed to the jefuits, who
^Ith all their art blew up this terrible com^
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Portugal, spain, &c. 117
ouftion, in revenge -for .what had juftly been
done to them, for their incroachmeiits in South
America. What is become of the hdads of
them nobody knows. We have expedled
ievery day to fee a new execution, and Mala-
grida with fdme df the other principals of
that order at the head of it* But nothing
has yet appeared. We know that guards are
fet at all their convents, that when any of
them is to fay mafs, two foldiers ftand on
each fide of the altar. We know that a
great manjr are in prifon, but this is all w6
know for certain^ the reft is only cbrije<3:urei
If I can get jjny thing tolerably authentic
aboul^ them for my next paper I will ferid it
you. One of the priiicipal of therh is faid
to have died a liatiiral death in prifon a few
days ago, but whether his end was fo or no
1 cannot tell, however I have heard that he
-Was in a lingering way before. Among the
common people there is al rumour, that a
good many of them have been put to death
fecfetly.
1 3 L E T^
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ii8 LETTERS FROM
» •
LETTER XVI.
LISBON, F£B. 24, IJS9*
1am glad that my letters concerning our
confpiracy meet fo much with your appro-
bation. You will by this, time have received
fome mor^, and I have, perhaps, one or two
ftill remaining, but I muft wait a little, to
get more authentic intelligence. What I
have written was from the trueft informa-
tions I could poffibly obtain. The ^ourt
attempts to throw a veil over all its anions,
and you only find againft whom its anger is
turned, as the bolts fall.
Thefe myfterious proceedings render the
Portuguefe very rfiy of fpeaking about public
affairs ; and, indeed, the Englifh fadlory has
but little connedlion with them. This will
hinder
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J^ORtUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 119
Jiirider me from being able to know fo much
of their manners as I could wifli; fof^ I
confefs, I ihould be pleafed to know the
defcendants of thbfe heroes, whofe arms
made the Moors tremblingly relingulfh their
pofleffions in Africa ; and whofe fleets urg-
ing on through unknown feas to fartheft
India eredled an empire which might ftill
have flourilhed, if their falling under the
yoke of Philip the fecond had not funk that
national fpirit, which feems never to have
been thoroughly roufed again. When, in-
deedi ^ they broke their chains and fet the
houfe of Braganza upon the throne in the
reign of Philip the fourth of Spain, they
rhaintained a long war agdidft the irritated
Spaniard, but after treaties had eftablifhed
their independence, they funk again into in-
aftivity. This feems ftill to hang upon
them, and will probably do fo^ till fome new
exertion calls them forth to aftidn, which
feems difficulty however, to happen m our
timesi as their trade will always find them -
i 4 P^o-
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proteaors who will fight for them. The
race of thofe who fought for themfelves,
feems in part to have perifhed with the
Alonfos and Sebaftians^
The fame rumour prevails here as with
you in London, of the death of the king of
Spain ; and that they conceal it in order to
give the king of Naples more time to. regu-
late his affairs. The other day there was a
little difpute between captain Legge and one
of the Difimbargadors. Captain Legge
commands the Trident, a (hip belonging to
Admiral Holmes's divifion of Saunders's fqua-
dron, and which, by the bad weather, was
driven into this port difmafted. He had three
fortuguefe fubjefts on board. One of them
one night wanted to defert, and accordingly,
had got down into the Tagus to fwim on
(hore, but being pbferved, was retaken, and
by captain Legge's orders put into irons for
four and twenty hours. In the mean time
his two countrymen contrived to fend a note
t©
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POllTUOAL, SPAIN, &c. im
to Lifbon of there being three Portuguefc
fubjedls on board, who thej faid had been
very ill treated, and that the captain would
not difmif§ them, tho* they had begged him
repeated tinies to do it. The Difimbargador
or magiftrate of juftice, to whom this com-
plaint was made, ordered his officers to
arreft captain Legge as foon as he came on
ihore, ftyling him in his warrant captain of
a privateer, whether thro* ignorance^ or
cunningi not to have been faid to have put
tinder arreft an officer in his Britannic ipa-
jefty's fervice, I know npt* However, cer-
tain it was, that the order was given ; but
the officer that was commiffioned to put it
in execution, acquainted a friend of captain
Lcgge*s of the whole affair, who informed
him of it. He immediately wrote a letter
to our conful, complaining of tHe infult
that had been offered to the Britlfh flag-
The affair, however, has been fet to rights,
and the Difiltibargadgr reprimanded. As for
the
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ta2 LETTERS F'ROM I
the three Portuguefe, I do not kno?w whe-
ther they have been yet delivered or not, but i
I believe they will, as I think Carvalho has
iflued thofe orders*
LET-
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POflTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, wj
LETTER XVIL
LISBON, FEB. 25, 1 759*
X promifed you fome further account of the
affair of the confpiracy in thefe countries,
but as a deep cloud feems ftill to overwhelm
what concerns the jefuits, which is . all that
remains, I will wait another week in hopes
of its diffipating. With regard to the no-
bles, I think there is nothing more to add.
Some indeed, they fay, have been relegated
to Su Thome, or other diftant parts of the
Portuguefe dominions, and the remainder
are ftill in prifon.
To turn your eyes, therefore, from
this melancholy fubjeft, and give you the
former glories, as Ihave fent you the prefent
misfortunes of Portugal, I will fpeak of .what
it
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ii4 Letters from
k was heretofore; This I will do in confe-
quence of your defiririg me to give you feme
hiftorical account of the countries 1 pafled
thro'; Tho* 1 confider your defife a? calcu-
lated more for my inftruftioii than for your
own information, I (hall obey your com^
m^nds.
Portugal is nearly the antient Lufitailia of
the Romans, and after the fall of this pow'^
erful nation funk, like the reft of its depen-
dencies, under the hands of thofe barbarous
emigrants, who overthrew what the idle fancy
of the Latin authors had deemed eternal.
To the Vifigoths, or weftern Goths, who
occupied Spain, fucceeded the Saracens, who
had embraced a religion which was to be pro-
pagated by conqueft, and whortoming diredly
from Barbary, were at length confoimded
with the inhabitants of that country and cal-
led Moors. Long did a few opprefled be-
lievers groan under this yoke, till at lengfth
count Alonfo Enriquez, by his viftories over
the
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 115
the difciples of Mahomet, formed a little
territory, which he ruled with the title of
king given him by pope Eugenius HI. Hi$
fiiGceflbrs increafed the territories, and efta-*
bli(hed the kingdom of Portugal, whofe
hiftory, however, yielded nothing very re-*
markable for a long time^ except wars againlt
the Moors and their neighbours, till at length
its maritime fituation and the intrepidity of
the inhabitants began to explore what hi-^
therto had lain hid beyond the depths of the
ocean. Henry, brother to king John, encou-.
raged thefe refearphes, and by his aftronap
mical knowledge and pecuniary largefles
had already opened to his countrymen a large
part of the coaft of Africa. The fame fpirit
feized at length the throne, and John the
fecond fent large expeditions to the aflonifli*^
ed negroes, who partly fubmitted to his
arms, and partly embraced hi^ religion^
Still farther atchievements were performed
by his fucceffor Emanuel, whofe triumphant
colours paffed the cape of pood Hope under
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Vafo de Gama, and a great part of the Eaft
became fubjeft to Portugal. 'Valor and reli-
^bn went hand in hand, and ' foldiers and
miffionaries (hewed equal fanaticifm in their
different j)urfuits* In Abyffinia, to their
wonder, they found a kingdom already
chriftian, which they converted, with their
king David, to the Roman catholic perfua-r
iion, but by becoming too affuming, were at;
laft again driven with their tenets out of it.
This expuliion was not compleated till the
fucceeding reigns, and Portugal in other re-*
fpe£ls continued fiouri(hing till the young
Sebaftian loft his life and crown in Africa, in
the fatal battle againft Muley Moluch, whofe
bravery that day, fo fatal to the arms of
Portugal, has been fufficiently recorded in
hiftory,. and particularly in the Speftator.
Sebaftian likewife Ihewed himfelf the hero
in that engagement, and was found covered
with wounds ampngft heaps of the flain,
tho' impoftors afterwards, pretended to be
him who had efcaped. His <:rown went to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 147
the cardial Henry, who was his great uncle#
This prelate was no lefs than fixty-feven
years old when he fucceeded to the throne of
Portugal, and his (hort reign of not a year
and a half was more taken up with difputes
^bout who was to be his fucceiibr than any
thing elfe. Philip the fecond, then king of
3pain, who was gne of the candidates, foon
defeated the only one of the others who ap-
peared in arms againft him, which was Don
Antonio, a baftard fon of the late king^s
brother. Portugal had no fooner fubmitte4
to the arms of Spain than all her enthufiafn^
for glory fell with her independency, and
^ifencouraged, defpifed and opprefTed by her
haughty neighbour, (he feemed to drag on a
languifhing exiftence, till the duke of Bra-
ganza, under Philip the fourth of Spain, re-
aflumed the throne of his anceftors by a por
pular infurreftipn, and it has ever fince been
preferved in that family, But the fpirit of
the Portuguefe feems neyer to have been tho-
roughly roufed froni ^he lethargy under
which
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which it funk during thofe years it was a
defpifed province of Spain. They joined
with us, however, againft the fucceffion of
Philip the fifth, in favor of the houfe of
Auftria, but they and their allies were routed
at Almanza, fince which time they have
performed no adlive part in Europe. You
will be content, I believe,. with this iketch,
and, indeed, you may, perhaps, not be forry
that I have not been more particulart ,
We fee here all your green houfe plants
growing wild in the hedges. Thefe are
principally made of aloes, which, indeed,
feem more calculated for conftruding a
fence than for beauty. They fay, indeed
in England, they are very fine when in
flower, but, I believe, only on account of
the rarity ; as here, where you will foon fee
a hundred of them branching out in every
lane, no perfon thinks about the matter.
The ladies of England have more reafon on
their fide with regard to orange trees, aa
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there is ibmething naturally pretty in them,
and perhaps more fo when they grow in
pots than vt^hen they are able to attaip their
full growth, as they acquire a deeper colour,
and 4o not look fo lively. As for myrtle it
here grows wild in the woods, as negleded
a plant as any there.
I ihall fet out fat Seville the beginning of
tiext ni^fith, hat may ftay fome ds^s at
Beja in my way thithen
X LET-
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ijo . LETTERS FROM
LETTER XVlit
LISBON, MARCH 4, 1759'
X HE cloud hanging over the aflFair of
the jefuits is not yet diffipSfted, I will,
therefore j ftay another week to fee whether it
will difperfe or no, iind in the xneaii time
will fend you fome account of Camoens the
famous Portuguefe epic poet, fo little known
and fo much ^ cried up in England, that I
have heard him ftyled the befl: author in the
whole world. Lewis de Camoens was faid
to be born at Lifbon, but his birth place
feems very uncertain. He lived, a very un-
fortunate life, as he was firft upon account
of fome intrigues banifhed from Liibon, and
went to the Portuguefe Eaft Indies, where
he afterwards met with a great many difaf-
(ers, and was by fonae of the Portuguefe
governors
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PQRTUGALi SPAIN, fecial
governors banifhed a fecond time from their
pofleffions in thofe countries. Upon this he
went to China> and having after fome years
obtained leave to return to Lifbon, he fol-
lowed the Portuguefe arms into Africa,
where he behaved fo valiantly, that upon
his return he was r^c^ived very cordially by
the famous Sebaftian then king of Portugal,
to whom he dedicated his poem, the greateft
part of which he had compofed during the
time of his diftrefs, and had preferved when
he w:as caft away upon the coaft of Gamboya
on his returning to Portugal^ by fwimming
on fhbre with it in his teeth. This was all
he faved of what he then poflefled in the
world. Sebaftian gavd him a penfion for
life, upon which he was fubfifting very com-
fortably, when that unfortunate prince loft
his life in Africa. Upon the king's perifti-
ing Camoens loft likewife his penfion, and
his fucceflbr cardinal Henry dying, allPortu*
gal became a fcene of confufion. During
this melancholy interval the voice of poor
K 2 Camoens
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132 LETTERS FROM
Camoens remained unheard, and he feB
into the nioft extreme poverty. The Infir-
mities attending his advanced age, and the
agitation of his fpirits, foon brought him to
the grave, and he is even faid to have died
in an hofpital. Shortly before he expired
he beheld his country fall under the yoke of
Spain. Upon this occalion Camoens in a laft
letter to his friend, a little before his death,
tifes thefe words. ** I now draw near the
** end of i?ny carreer, and I hope the wcwld
^^ will have been convinced by my a£Hofls of
** my fincere afFeSion for my country. I reckon
** myfelf happy too, in not only being able
** to die in her bofom, but alfo in not fur-
** vivi©g her death.'* He was buried poorly
in St. Am>e's church, and the following
limpla infcription was afterwards put upon
his grave.
•^ Here lies Lewis de Camocna, the prince
^^ of poets in hi* tiroe, poor and unhappy
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c.. 133
^* was his lifci poor and unhappy was hit
** death,
*• In the year 1 759^"
Having faid fo much to you about th«
man» I ihall now fpeak fomethin^ about his
poem, which h$ entitles the Lufiade, upon
account of the Latin name of Portugal,
(Lufitania) faid to be derived from one Lufus
an ancient hero who came here.
The fubjed of this work is the difcovery
cf the Eaft Indies, tho' he makes very great
digreffions from it, The Portuguefe were
the firft who, after doubling the Cape of
Good Hope, went on towards India, He
very nobly reprefents that famous promon-?
tory under the figure of a giant, threatening
thofe hardy mortals who dared to pafs his^
boundaries. The hero of the poem is the
firft explorer of thefe unknown feas, Vafco
de Gam>, The firft canto opens in the old
K 3 fty^
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1
134 LETTERS FROM
flyle, when Yafco was got about half way
to India, which caufes an old faftiioiied
quarrel of heathen gods, whether the Por-
tuguefe (hall accomplifh their defigns or not,
Bacchus -is their enemy from jealouiy of
Iheir going to the Indies, which he is re-i
ported formerly to have conquered, left theiF
viftorles Ihbuld obfcure his. Venus favors
them upon account of their great gallantry-
In the mean timp Vafco meets with all proper
difficulties of winds and weather, and rocks and
favages, however, at laft Jupiter fends Mer-
cury and Fame to difpofe the inhabitants of
Melinda on the eaftern coaft of Africa to be
favorable to the adventurers, who land there,
and are perfeftly well received by the king
of that country. As the negro moiiarch is
defirou^ of being informed of the affairs of
Europe, !a very long epifode is made to ex-^
plain them, in which Vafco naturally in-
cludes tbofe. of Portugal, and gives a
hiftory of her kings, interfperfed w4th very
pretty paflages. This, long epifode con-
cludes
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c* ij$
eludes with an account of the voyage of the
whole fleet from Portugal, after . which the
king of Melinda thanks his informer, and
they are extremely good friends, till at
length Vafco fets forward again in fearch of
the rifing fun, for fo our poet generally ex*
prefles himfelf when he fpeaks of the Eaft
Indies. Bacchus gets Neptune to raife
ftprmis^ and plays the deuce with him, but
jit laft they obtain a fight of the long-fought
fliores. You may imagine Venus isnot idle
in aflifting them ; but notwithftanding her
gndeayours, whien they l^nd upon the coaft
of 14 ajabar they cannot agree upqn a fettkd
commerce with the natives, who by the in-
ftigation of Bacchus ufe them vefy ill, to
fuch a degree that they are forced tq rgturn
without obtaining any other advantage than
the being able tq give an account of th^ir
having difcpvered the place defired. In their
return Venus throws theiR upon a delightful
ifland, where Ihe get^ gll her friends ampng
the fes nymphs to. ro^t thena, a^d Thetis
}^4 ^?
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ij6 LETTERS FROM
at their head^ who becomes Cicifbea (to uic
on Italian word) to Vafco dc Gama. They
all are as happy as poflible in the company of
their marine divinities^ and Thetis carries
the officers of the fleet up to the top of a
high mountain, where there is a vaft globe
reprefenting the univerfe. They here fee all
the planetary motions, and all the. kingdoms
of the earth, and Thetis tells them every
thing that is to happen, and in particular
with regard to the kingdom of Portugal.
After this fupernatural entertainment our
heroes qmt th? ifland and return home, but
not without fome difficulties. They are re^
ceived upon their return with the greateft
applaufct
This is the principal thread of the epic
poem, and perhaps I may give you a ftiort
fample of fome paflages in it. I am too little
a judge of the Portuguefe language to give
my opinion with regard to thegoodnefs of this
, performance, but at the fame time that I do
not
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PORTUOAU SPAIN, &c^ 137
not deny It has merit, lam far from think-
ing it one of the beft epic poems in the
world, as I hav<$ falfely kc^td ic reported t»
be.
LET-
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fj« LETTERS FROM '
I, E T T E R XIX:
f^lSBONy MARCH 8, 1759^
/^ /\ S I have nothing clfe authentic to write
to you for my prefent paper, I will give you
^ lame tranfiation of a paiTa^? or t\(ro of tbi$
work of Caraoens ; chofen out rathef from
my lighting upon them firft, thap froin
^heir being the heft in the poem.
He runs very high in the pr^ife of Alonfb
the great, king qf Portugal, and defctibe^s;
his anions very poetically ; I, however, (hall
only give you here what he fays upon his
death.
^^ Alonfo, his brows now crowned with
♦* hoary locks, was enjoying the fruits of
** his glory, when lie w^is ohliged to pay
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I
PORTUGAL, SIXAIN, &c. 13$
*^ to the fates that common tribute of nature,
*^ demanded as well from the king as from
*^ the fliephei d. With inceffant moan did
** the vaflals of Portugal lament his death.
•* The rocks, woods, and mountains rung
*^ with their juft affliftiohi The Tagus,
/* fwolnwith the tears of its nymphs, rolled
** its CQurfe to the waves of Neptune with
■* a melancholy murmur, expreffive of its
** grief The echoes with a plaintive voice
" called for a long time upon the generous
" Alonfo; Alonfo, who, tho' dead, yet
^* lived in the hearts of his people ; and
" left to the univerfe a name indehble by
^* the hand of time."
Tho' in a dull profe tranflation the origi-
nal muft have loft prodigioufly, yet, ftill I
hope it will giye you fome little glimmering
of what the author woijld mean to fay.
Some of liis defcriptions of battles are very
fine, but defcriptions of battles are fuch
common-r-placG things in poetry, fhat I do
not
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I40 LETTERS FROM
pot iiuok k wcoth while to ^c 700 znj of
them. I rather chuie to give you a little
Epifbde be make^ upon the charaung lues,
frith whom Don Pedro, foa of the tiien
feigning Aloaiis (quite a difiereat peribn
from him whoie death he laments fo much,)
was in love.
*^ Alonib, reftored once nK>re from Afnca
^^ to his native foil, was preparing to enjoy
^^ his laurels in tranquillity, when his eafe
** and glory were blafted by an unhappy
•* event ; a fatal and melancholy adventure,
^* which rendered the Portuguefe fpefkatora
** of beauty unparalleled finking under the
** weight of unjuft rigor. It was thou, O
^* far redoubted Love! it was thou alone that
^* waft the caufe of her death ! Thou tyrant
** moft cruel, do not tihe tears of thy (laves
** content thee, but muft thou h?tthe thine
** altars with their bipod I
^' Thou,
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€4.
PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. t^i
** Thou, O beautiful Inte, upon Mon-
4ego*s flowery banks waft enjoying an
agreeable folitude* Thy lips were teach-
ing the mountain and fbreft to re-echo
** that beloved name thou boreft engraven
** on thy heart ; the name of thy prince^
*^ Whofe prefence made thy happinefs, an<!
** who(e leaft abfcnce -coft thee (o many
** tears. He too, tho* deprived of thy com-
** pany, fdt his whole foul occupied with
♦* the flattering remembrance of thofo fweet
^ hours he had enjoyed with thee; the
** pledges of his eternal tendernefs. Tho*
** abfent from thoiie fair eyes, every thing
** brought back thy image to his idea* The
** agreeable impoftures of a thoufand dreams
** by night rekindled his ardor. By day
** his fighs and every thought waited upon
** thy chaxms. ^
f* It .was for thee only, much beloved
«^ In<ls« that thy faiths Don Pedro tefufod
'^ the heart afid hand of jgrincefles^ exquir
•« fite
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U% LETT E R S- F R OU
" iite In beauty, and eminent in rank. Gari
** his royal father counterpoife (b violent a
** paffion with thofc murmurs which his
*• vaffals, e^ger to fee their youthful prince
•* wedded to fome royal. dam$, fend forth ?
•* Yes, Aloixfo's feverity decides againft the
tender wcaknefs, now regarded as a crime.
Unhappy Incsr mtift die. Her death muft
** break the flavery in which her beauty
" holds Don Pedro* What " fury inlpired
•* fb great a monarch to ; uplift his hand
*^ againft a life undefended but by tears ?
•* That fword, fo formidable to the Moors,
** abhorred it not being bathed in female
" blood.
** Her cWel enemies now drJig poor Inis
** before the king. Her youth, her charms,
^* Iker misfortunes touch him. Heaven-born
^* mercy infinuates herfelf into his breail.
^' But the ttimiiituoUS dries of his vaflals
** awaken his anger afrefh* Ines lefs appre-
" five of her impending death than of the
*' melan-
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PORTUGAU SPAINi &c. 14a
" melancholy ftate of folitude in which fli«
** muft leave her prince and the fruits of
" his love, lifts up her eyes bathed with
*^ tears to heaven ; her eyes alone^ her f^ir
** hands were hound* and could not be' em^-
ployed in the melancholy office. Then ^
" turning thofe fair orbs towards her little*
•* children, crouding round her, her grief
*' is redoubled at the cruel fight. The cold
•* hand of afflidion benumbs her heart. At
*' length breaking filence, Ihe thus befpoke
the king.
€€
€1
r ** If it be true that the univerfe has be-
** held favages and wild beafts, .whom na-
^' ture teaches cruelty, foftened at the af-
" flidion of tender infijnts, as was the
^' fofter mother of Nynias^ or of the foun-
" ders of Rome ; if this be true, O thou,
** wha in appearance art human, could hu»r
" manity be confident with the {laughter
** of X wretched damfel, whofe only crime
** is to have fubmitted her heart to the
** youth
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144 LETTEllS FROM
* youth who knew how to eonqticr it f
** O J caft an ey^c of pity upon thcfe nn-
^ happy orphans* Let their innocence ftop
^* thy uplifted hand* I flipplicate thee, not
^ for my life. My death is trifhed for. Be
^ that wi(h gratified. Yet ftill, if your
^* elemency equals your valor ; if you
^ know how to Ipare innocence^ as you
** can thunder deftrufltion in the heat of
** battle upon the brutality of the Moors>
** fooncr than imbrue your hands in my
^* bloody banifti me to fome unhappy retreat^
** where either frozen Scythia or the bum-
•* ing deferts of Africa reign. Confine me
•* where tygers and lions dwell. Among
•* them will I feek that pity man denies me.
*• There attended by my tears and fighs^
^ my heart full of that dear obje6t for which
•* I ani dragged to punifhmcnt, there will
'• I educate; my little ones. The fight of
•• them fhall be the only confolation of a
*• mother equally tender as unhappy .•'
Alonfo
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t^OJlTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 145
Aldnfo, after having heard the fpeech of
tnhsj was rather inclined to treat her with
indulgence ; but at laft he is obliged to yield
to thi obftinacy of the people^ who with
Unparalkled rigor, fays the Author, murmur
againft his niercy ^ and the principals among
them^ iii a fort pf mutiny^ draw their fwords
and murder poor Incs, The words of the
author are thefe;
** Impatient of longer deky their glitter^
'* ing fwords vibrate in air, to execute of
*' themfelves, what their mad prepoffeffion
•* ddems necieffaryi The blind rage which
" hurries them on^ hides fr9m them the
** chaftifement footi to breik upon their
" heads. One ftrikes upoii that alabafter
'^ neckj which now no rnore fupports the
'* moft beautiful vifage love ever adored,
^* A fecond buries his ftefel in that well-
^ turned bofom, capable of foftening th©.
* moft obdurate heart. Bafe fanguinary .
* butchers, brave only againft a tender
L '' damfel !
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44
146 LETTERS FROM
damf^l ! So Pyrrhus' fword pierced the
•' {ide of the charming Polixena. Yet the
** Grecian's cruelty was lefs odious. He
** only obeyed his father's fpirit. Bright
** torch of day ! if horror for the Thyeftean
*' banquet heretofore forced thee to veil thy
" light under impenetrable clouds, with
•* what eye doft thou* behold the virtuous
** Ines perifli ? The crimes of her aflaflina
*• equal that of Atreus. Invert thy courfe.
" Let the Eaft behold thy fetting, for In^s
" dies. Her pale cold mouth pronounces
** her beloved Don Pedro's name mingled
*' with the laft figh. As the brilliant co-
" lours of a JBower culled by fome wanton
** fhepherdefs languifh^ fo fade the charms,
*' the once fo enchanting charms ,of the
*^ beautiful Ines. Long did the nymphs
" upon Mondego's banks lament her fate,
** but her fpedlre wandered not unrevenged.
" Her murdurers feeing Don Pedro upon
** the throne fly to Caftile to evade his
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iPOklTUGAL, St^AINi &c. 147
" anger. But implaeable juftice purfues
" their fteps. The Caftiliaii delivers them
" up. They expire in toftnents, recom* i
" pence worthy of their inhumanity.'*
L2 LET-
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148 . LETTERS F».OM
L E T .T E R XX.
LISBON, MARCH 12^ 1 759.
X Will now give a fort of digreffion of Ca-
roouens upon the Portuguefe gaining the
firft fight of the Eafl Indian coaft.
" Behold," fays he, ** intrepid warriors,
'* who burn with the defire of honeft fame,
" behold the objeft of your wiflies, and ani-
** mate yourfelves with new courage. Be-
** fore your eyes . lie thofe huppy climes
** which are to crown your fatigues. 'Tis
to you, O brave pofterity of Lufus ! (the
Portuguefe), I addrefs myfelf^ who pof-
feffing but a point upon the globe, yet
dare affront the greateft dangers, to intro-
duce the light of truth amongft people
" ignorant
€i
i€
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€€
€€
PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 149
ignorant of its rays. In fuch a caufe
weaknefs retards you not. Valor fupplies
•* the force you are deficient in. The auguft
*^ laws of religion flourifh at the expence of
'* your blood. But, alas ! whilft you, hea-
•* ven-affifted, pierce to the utmoft confines
f^ of the world, deftroying the worfliip of
•* falfe deities, the Germans, that haughty
^* nation, fovereign of fo many provinces,
^* abandoned to errors the moft deteftable,
^* in- the criminal defence of them are prodi*
^* gal of that blood, which with more glory
^* might be fpent againft the Ottomans.
** England, too, tho* miftrefs of the title of
•^ ruler of Jerufalem, yet lets that holy city
*' groan under Mahometan opprefliont Her
^* king immerfed in foftnefs, enjoys the infq/
♦* mous luxury of the Aflyrians amidft
*' northern fnows ; or if ever he unfheaths
** his fword, it is fatal to the lives of fellow
*^ Chriftians.
La ^* Rut;
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150 TLETTERS FROM
" But what ought I to fay of you, inha^
** bitants of France, whofe charafl:er was
*^ that of candor and equity, but now, hur-
*•* ried on by ambition, you forge chimerical
*' rights to ftates which belong not to you ?
*' If your extenfive dominions be not fuffi-
cient, why fignalize you hot ypur courage
upon the banks of Nile apd Ciniphus ?
*? There would your conquefts bp legitimate,
*' not fo upon your neighbours, who adore
•* the fame God. Have ypu inherited the
f* kingdom of the great Charles and Lewis,
^' but did their juftice die wi,th them ?
^} Thou too, tinhappy Italy ! land once
*■ fo refpe£table ! now plunged in vice, I
^' behold thy unhappy offspring enervated
*' by luxury and effeminacy, vile flaves o(^
f * treafure accumulated with difhqneff pains !
•* I behold them leading an inglorious life
** in the bofom of floth. Artifice has fuc-
** ceeded to that triumphant valour, which
** fubjeftcfl the world to the laws of thelj.
" anceftors.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, tec. 151
^ anceftors. But indolence is their flighteft
** evil. With x:ruel divifions they t§ar in
^' pieces the entrails of their blepding coun-
** try* O miferable inhabitants of Europe !
'^ wh^ rage animates yoif againft your bre-
^^ thren } Turn your eyes towards the fe-
** pulchre of your holy legiflator. Behold it
^^ In prey to the barbarous defcendants of
Ifhmael, always united to attack you, who
never »e fb to defend yourfelves. Will
AleSo for ever breathe upon you the fpirit
** of difcord i Behold, alas ! what dangers
*• envirojx you, and how will you efc^pe the
*' impending cloud, if you deftroy each
** other, while the fbns of Mahoinet unite
*^ in your deftruftion. If ri<:hes be your
" aim, the waters of Hermus and Paftolus
^ roll over ftrapds of gojcj^ Lydja anjl Af-
^* fyria enjoy that too prepious metaL Afri-
ca ca in her bofom conceals abundant yelns.
^^ Thefe climes open an unbounded field to
'^ your conquefts. To amafs treafure per-
^* form that which you refufe to do for the
l^ 4 intereft
4€
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tja LETTERS FROM
•* interefl: of your altars. Your artillerj,
** that trfemendous invention, placing thun-
*' der in the hands of men, ought to be
^* turned againft the walls of Byzantium.
*' Deliver their circumference from the
ufurpers who occupy it*
4C
♦^ Bid thofe unjuft poflfeflbrs abandon the
** peaceful fhades of Europe* Bid them re-
** turn to their Cafpian mountains, and the
^* cold inhofpitable deris of Scythia. The
** Greek, the Thracian, fhe Armenian,
** demand your affiftance. Thofe nations
finking under the weight of a tyrannic
yoke, with tears inform you, that their
" infants are torn from their breafts, not
*' only to be educated inflavery, butinfefted
** witli the poifon of error and impiety,
*' Thefe are juft caufea for war. Vie with
^^ each other in valor and prudence to ehaf-
** tife Ottoman inhumanity, not to opprefs
^^ thofe united tp you by the fame law.
C(
But
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, te. 153
*^ But in vain pretend the pious deities of
** Parnaflus to appeafe the diflenfions of JEu*
** rope. Their voice remains unheard. The
^^ furies triumph. Portugal alone treads
*^ the paths of real hgnor.
9>
I will give you one more quotation, which
ihall be what Camouens fays at the conclu-
fion of his poem, * He addrefles himfelf fo
Pon SebalHan king of Portugal, his patron^
the hero who afterwards fell in Africa, in
that famous battle againft Muley Moluch,
in which both th^ Moprifli and Chriftian
princes were killed ; however, the vulgar
people in Portugal have a ijory that Sebaftian
is not really dead, but only concealed, and
that he is to return and reftore Portugal
to its antient fplendor. However, to leave
fables and give you the rhapfody of my
poet, whicl) is profaically ^ xpreffed in what
follows?
** Mufes no more, my harp is untuned,
^[ and fny voice begins to faij* *Tis yours,
^' ypiing
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1S4 LETTERS FROM
•• young prince, lord of thefe realn^s, *tis
•* yours to reanimate my fong. For you
** will I once more invoke the facrcd nine.
** Afford me but the fubjeft. Heaven has
•* entrufted to your care a nation, whole loy-
** alty and valor enable you to atchieve any
'* undertaking. Your vai&Is are ready in
•' your fervice to bear the piercing edge ot
** hunger, the cruelty o'f Mars, the injur^
^* of the feafons, the heats of the burning
^* zone, the fnows of either pole, the ftorms
*• and monfters of the deep ; in a word,
" earth and hell united. Honor them only
** with a favourable regard. Eafe them
*' from the yoke of thpfe too rigorous laws
*' that opprefs them. Let minifters who
** join undoubted probity to long experience
*' be your advifers. Be thofe alfo confined
*' to the foot of the altars, whofe duty it is
*' to fee their worfhip duly performed, nor
•* let them, precipitated by vain ambition,
" trouble your people by attempting to go-
** vern them. The duty of priefts is. to lift
"i
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 155
^* jip their hands to your celeftial mafter,
** imploring in your favor his eternal wif»
^* dom. With them other occupations arc
^* criminal. In'a word, young prince, reiga
" by yourfelf ; nor let' Italy, Germany,
^* France or England* heretofore the admir
^' rers of Pprtugal, let them not fay thai
^' her glory is obfcurcd, or that h^r fons ara
^* become flayes. Then will I touch again
*^ the founding lyre to celebrate thy fame,
f* and whilft haughty Atlas trembles in be-^
♦* holding thee, >vhile fhe affrighted plains
^* of Ampelufia bear witnefs to the flight of
** the warriors pf JV^arocco and pTarudant,
^* will I extend thy praifes. to the end of the
" globe. The univerfal globe, feized with
** awe and affedlion, fhall confefs in my
f * prince a fecond Alexander, who need not
^' envy the Jaappinefs of Achilles/*
It is \^fth this high-flown compliment to
himfelf that our poet ejids his work, the
p:ieaning
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tS6 l^ETTERS FROM
jneaning oF which yofu know is alluding to
Alexander's having .faid that he envied
Achilles in nothing, but in havit>g Homer to
record his anions. -A bold ftrdke in Ca-
mouens to equal himfelf to Homer at ihe
iame time he compares Don Sebaftian
to Alexander. From thefe few paflages
Jrou may perhaps be able to |brm fom? Jittle,
\mt impcrfeft idea of that author. You
may wonder what I have been quoting in
this and my forpier paper has to do for the
moft part with a voyage to India. What I
gave you in the foregoing was taken out of
the Epifode, in which he gives fome de-
fcription of Europe to the king of Melindaji
but more efpecially of the affairs of Portui
gal ; and as for this laft quotation, you fee
it is pierely an apoftrophe to the king for
the conclufion of his poem. I think for a
Roman catholic country he fpeaks very
freely of th^ priefts. It muft be rather an
affcding paffage to the Portuguefe in thq
pr?f?uX
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P0rRTU<5AU S?AIN, &c. 157
prefent ftate of things. The late afFair of
the jefuits comes too, apropos to what he
fays about church ambition not to be taken
notice of.
LET-
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158 LETTERS fHOU
LETTER XXL
LISBON^ MARCH 1 7, 1759*
jLjL Dark mift ftiU hanging over the af^
fairs of the jefuits, and aa the misfortunes
of our fellow countrymen always intcreft us^
I (hall therefore, without farther preamble^
fend you an account of the cataftrophe of
the late James Read, Efq. conful general
of Barbary* '
Mr, Read, late of Gibraltari was in tho
month of July, 1757, appointed conful
general to the king of Marocco. Mr. Pitt
fent him out his commiffion by a meffenger
oh purpofe, who arrived at Gibraltar the
laft day of September ; and upon the twelfth
of Oftober he embarked for Sallee, on board
the Syxen Frigate. He foon got from Sallee
to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN,.&c, 15^
to Marocco, where the young prince Sidi
Mahomet refided, who, by the con fen t of
his father Muley Abdallah then living, held
the reins of government, ^id tranfadled all
affairs with foreign powers. It was this
young prince that had demanded i, confuj,
and defired to have a peace renewed with
the Englifh.
While Mr. Read was at Marocco, the king
Abdallah died, and Sidi Mahomet his foa
fucceeded without oppofition to the throne,
which he Hill continues to enjoy.
Mr. Read was furprized to find that hp
was received with great coolnefs, and even
with a kind of contempt. Nor did Sidi Ma-
homet accept more gracioufly the prefents
that Mr. Read had brought him, but feemed
to defpife them as of little value, tho' they
coft above ^600 ; and he had received ano-
ther which was very handfbme^ about four
inonths before, and had been fent out from.
England
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i69 LETTEIIS FROfji
England on piirpofe. Some attribute the
reafon of this bad treatment and coolneft to
our having negle£);ed the fon too much dur-
ing the life of his father ; but it feems m
part to have been owing to the infligation
of the French intereft in thdfe tountrieSi
who endeavoured to reprefent every thing
concerniAg lis in the worft light. By the
beginnings however,, of December, Mr. Read
had adjufted matters with him ih the beft
manner poffihle; tho% indeed, all he had
obtained was & truce for a twelvemonth, dur-
ing which interval he was to folicit a letter
from our king himfelf, in anfwer to the
many exorbitant demands which the Moor-
i(h fovereign made. He had been affronted
at Mr. Pitt's only writing himfelf^ and faid
he expefted a letter from the king's own
handy and not from that of his fecref aries ;
an office which the Moors do not feem much
to underftand. Upon thefe terms they part-
ed, and Mr. Read was on his way back to
Qibraltar, and had now got as far as Sallee,
when
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>OktUGAL, Si?AIN, &c. t&t
When an unlucky, tho' deferved accident,
happened to one of the cruizers of the
Moorifh king*. She fell in with the fanoie
frigate which had brought Mr. , Read
to Sallee4 in her return from thence.
The Moorifh vefiel miftaking her for a
merchant (hip, (as the Syren is fmall,)
hoped eafily to make her a prey ; and dif^
charged a broadfide, which was followed
with an attempt to board* But the Syren
beftirring herfelf, drove the cruizer on fhore
upon the Barbary coaft, near Cape Spartel,
where Ihe perifhed. The news of this acci-
dent was fbon fpread abroad, and the king
immediately fent after Mr. Read, with
orders to flop him at Sallee, and demand
fatisfaftion for the lofs of his fhip. About
the fame time Mr. Read received a letter
from admiral Ofborne, who then command-
ed the Mediterranean fleet, informing him
X)f the whole tranfaftion. In order to anti-
cipate any demand on the part of the Jlloor-
iih king, he defired Mr. Read to infift upon
M fatisjfadion
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i6a LETTERS FROM
fatisfaftion for the affront offered to our flag
in firing upon an Englifh veffel with Britifh
colours flying. Mr# Read aded as admiral
Ofl>orne had told him, and appeared aflo-
nifhed when the king made his complaints
to him upon that fubjedl. But Sidi Mahomet
perfifted in aflerting that his cruizer had
been unjuftly deftroyed, and demanded 20000
ducats, about jf 6000. flerling, as an equi-
valent, Thfe conful upon refufal of this
was confined to a clofe room at Sallect
However, he was kept there but a few hours,
and was then fent back a prifoner to his
houfe, which was furrounded by a detach-
ment of guards.
fife continued in this ftate till the king
came to Fez, in a tour he was making thro'
his new dominions. He here ordered Mr.
Read to be brought up to him from Sallee,
in order to determine fomething concerning
their difference. The conful arrived at Fez
the 29th of January, 1758, and the day
. after
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Jt^ORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 163
after wrote letters to his friends at Gibraltar,
which fhew he was in good health and
fpirits. However, he little knew how bufy
his enfeniies in Barbafy were, and that every
contrivance was putting in pradice to fet the
king againft him. Upon his arrival at Fez
he was again befet with guards, and during
leveral days had frequent meffages ferit hirfi
by the king, who ftill demanded fatisfa£lion,
which Mr. Read peremptorily refufed.
fiut as my hiftory proves rather long, the
remainder of it muft be deferred to my next
paper*
Md L £ r-
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i64 LETTERS FROM
LETTER XXII.
tlSBON, MARCH I4, 1 759.
On the i6th of February, 1758, Mr,
Read and Mr. Grofvenor, a lieutenant
of marines belonging to the Syren frigate,
who had accompanied the conful upon
this expedition, were both ordered to*
appear before the king. In this audience he
broke out into exclamations and revilings
againft the Englifli in general, and Mr. Read
in particular, with many opprobrious terms,
threatening to torture and burn him if he
did not grant his demands with regard to
the fhip. This the conful fteadily refufed
to do as unjuft, and bore the king's treat-
ment with much compofure of mind, which
irritated the Barbarian monarch's pride to
that degree as made him order his guards to
feize
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 165
feize upon Mr. Read and drag him to a dun-
geon. Before they carried him down they
bufifeted him according to the Moorifh cuf-
tom, and then drove , him headlong into it
with kicks and cufFs. It was here, "indeed,
Mr* Read's compolure of mind abandoned
him. His paffibns broke loofe, and wrought
him into a rage, which agitated his fpirits fb
violently, that it quite unhinged him, if I
may be allowed the expreffion, and left him
in a dejeftion of mind which he never got
the better of. He was detained about three
hours in this dungeon, and when relieved was
threatened with worfe ufage, if he did not
fubmit to the king's demand.
Upon the 1 7th the king lent feveral mef-
fages to Mr. Read and the Englifti with him,
accompanying them every time with differ-
ent menaces. The threats, however, of this
day ended in a determin^ion to pronounce
them flaves, and fet them to work with
the Portuguefe and Spaniards in captivity*
M 3 Upon
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i66 LETTERS FROM
Upon this treatment Mr. Reiad appeared very
dejefted, but full of refentment, without
knowing how to unburden himfelf. It was
upon this day that he fat down to write fome
letters to his friends, which teftify the great
extremities to which he was driven by thefe
Barbarians, and that he had an intention of
deftroying himfelf.
In the mean time he received feveral frefli
threats from the king, who infifted fome-
times upon one thing and then upon another,
without obferving any rule or meafurc in his
words or aftiohs,
The next morning, the i8th of February,
the king fent his attendants- to Mr. Read
with orders to carry him and all his compa-
nions away as flaves. Mr. Grofvenor ' was
the firft that was gondudled out of the houfe
to be made a favorite flave of the king's and
to be always near his perfon. Mr. Read and
his dopa^ftics were to follow, but they were
fentenced
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 167
fentenced to remain among the working
flaves, Mr. Read was hardly got beyond
the door of his apartment when he begged
to return into it for fomething he had left,
which the guards allowed him. As foon as
he was entered, he locked . the door after
him, and in about a minute's time the re-
port of a pjiftpl was hear4. Hh fervants
were much alarnied, an4 ojie of them ran
after Mr. Grofvenor who had not been con-
duced very far from the houfe. Having got
leave to return he knocked for fome time at
the jjoor^ but no reply followed from within.
It was then agreed to break it open, which
was immediately done, and Mr* Read was
foiind dead upon the floor.
Upon having (hut the door he had recourfe
to his pocket piftols, one of which he took
in each, hand, and applying that in his right
to his head, fired it. As he flood by the
bedfide, his head fell firft upon the (heets
and left a bloody mark, but his knees, I ima-
M 4 . gincp
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i6S LETTERS FROM
^e> failing by degrees, dragged him dawn
upon the floor, where he lay with his legs
under the bed. Thus ended- the unfortunate
Mn Read. The king was faid to appear
aftonifhed at the news, but it does not feen^
to have much influenced his future conduftf
On the contrary he has made flaves of all
our men who were wrecked on his coaft
about three months and a half ago in the
Litchfield and two other veflTels, a frigate of
thirty-fix guns, and an ammunition Ihip, that
were going with our fl[eet to the reduSion of
Goree,
fie then fent to the governpr of Gibral-
tar to acquaint him that he confidered the
fruce between hini and the Englifli ^s at an
end, and that if they wanted their men they
muft be ranfomed. Captain Barton, the cap-
tain of the Litchfield *, with the reft who
efcaped
• It may not, perhaps, be difagreeablc to the rcadcr^^
cfpccially ^s there will be fome little more hereafter
of
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 169
^fcaped the fury of the feas, are now atMa^
rpcco, and we are anxipus %o know how our
government
of Barbary aflSiirs, If J fubjoin the following ac-
pount of the lofs of this fliip and the behaviour of the
Moors to our people, written by James SouthcrIand,'lieUT
|;enant on board the Litchfield,
^< The Litchfield left Ireland the nth of November
1758, in company with feveral other men of war and
tranfports under tjic command of commodore Kcppel, and
intended for the reduftion of Goree, The wind proved
jnoftly fair till the 22d of November, then kept pretty
conftant from fouth-eaft to fouth-weft, and our voyage
was profperous till the 28th. On which day at eight iq
the evening I took charge of the watch, when the wea-
ther turned out very fqually with rain. We were then
pnder out courfes and main top fail. At nine it was ex-
ceedingly dark with much lightning, the wind varying from
fouth-weft to north-weft. Athalfanhourpaft nine there was .
an extreme hard fqualL Captain Barton then.came upon
deck and flayed till ten, leaving orders to keep fight of
the commodore, and to make what fail the weather would
permit. We faw the commodore at eleven bearing fouth,
but the fqualls encreafing, at twelve o'clock we were ob-
liged tQ i^and the main top fail under our ^ourf^$. s
^' At
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I70 LETTERS FROM
government will proceed with regard to
thenu Indeed I flatter myfelf that this
treatment
•* At one o'clock in the morning, November 29th^ I
kft the d^ck in charge of the firft lieutenant, the light
which we took to be the cointnodore's bearing ibuth right
a-headythe windweft-fbuth-weft blowing very hard. I was
awakened at fix in the morning by a great (hock and a
^onfufed noife of the men on deck. I ran to fee what was
the n^atter, thinking that fome (hip was fallen foul of us,
as I had no thoughts of land being near us at th? time,
being then, by my own reckoning and that of every per-
fon in the (hip, at lead 35 leagues diftance from it« But
before I could reach the quarter deck, I was fenfibly con-
vinced of our difmal fituation, by the fhip's giving a
great flroke againft the &;round, and the Teas breaking all
over U5. Juft after this I could perceive the land^ which
appeared to be rocky, rugged, and uneven, and was
about two cables length from us. The (hip lying with
her broad^fide to windward the fea broke entirely over her.
The raafts foon went overboard with very little a^Hftance,
and fome men were carried off with them. It is impoflible
for any perfon but a fufferer to ffeel our diftrefs at this
time. The mads, yards and fails were hanging along
fide in a confufed heap, the Ihip was beating violently
•upon the rocks, and the waves were curling up to a pro-
digious
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PORTUGAl,, SPAI^, &c, 171
treatment will draw upon the Moors the
vengeance due to them. ' Not but that a war
with
digious height, then dafhing down with fuch force as if
they would immediately have fplit Ae Ihip to pieces» which
indeed we every moment expe£led. Providence, how-
ever, favored us greatly, for fome of the large wavea
breaking without us, the remainder of their force came
againfi our our ftarboard quarter, and the anchors, which
we cut away as foon as we ftruck, now affifted us in bring-
ing the fhip's head towards the fea. This gave us a
glimpfe of prolonging life, perhaps, a few hours, which
was all at that time we could expeA, when we beheld the
rugged rocks, and thought every moment to be torn
afunder by the fierce roaring furf. However, our fcat-
tered fenfcs now recovered a little, and we faw it necelTary
to get every thing we could over to the ftarboard (ide, to
prevent the fblp from heeling off and expofing the deck
again to the fea ; and the waves for the moft part breaking
forward, we catcbed the opportunity, ^nd got moft of
the ftarboard guns overboard, with what elfe we could
come at. Some of the people, contrary to advice, were
very earneft to get out the boats, however after much en-
treaty, notwithftanding the profpcft of a moft terrible fea,
pne of the boats was launched and eight of the beft men
jumped into her. But although at this time the fc^ was
?#cr
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17^ LETTERS FROM
with fuch a barbarous race of people is dif-
agreeabky as much maj be loft, but nothing
gained;
rather abated, (he had hardly got to the (hip's ftem thai)
(he was iaibntly whirled to the bottom and every peribn
in her peri(hed. The reft of the boats were (boa da(hed
to pieces upon deck. We then made a raft with the davit
capftain bars and fome boards, which being done, nodiiog
remained but to wait with re(ignation for the a(S(buK:e of
Divine Providence. The (hip was fo foon filled with
water, that we had no time to get any provi(ion up. The
quarter deck and poop were now the only places we cooM
ibnd on wiihany fccurity, the waves being moftly fpent
by the time they reached us, owing to the fore part of the
(hip breaking them. At four in the afternoon, perceiv-
ing the fea to be much abated, as it was almoit low wa-
ter I was thinking to make an attempt of fwimming oq
ihore, as we had reafon to imagine the fliip would not
withftand the violence of the next flood, for (he now be-
gan to drop to pieces very faft. One of the people at-?
tempted it and got fafe to land. There were numbers of
Moors upon the rocks who feemed ready to take hold of
jiny one, and beckoned much for us to come on fhore.
This at firft we took for kindnefs, but they foon unde-
ceived us, for felf intereft was their only view, as they
■had not the humanity to affift any body that was entirely
nake^ji
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 17J
V gained ; however, in my opinion, the honbr
of oiir country demands fome fatisfadion.
With
naked^ but would fly to them who had any thing about
them and ftrip them before they were quite out of the
water, wrangling among thcmfclves about the plunder.
In the mean time the poor man was left to crawl up the
rocks if he was able, if not it was a matter of indiffer-
ence. However the fecond lieutenant and myfelf with
about fix ty -five others got on Ihore before dark, but were
for fome time uncertain whether we had not made a
' wrong choice, for here we were left expofed to the wea-
ther upon the cold fand. To keep ourfelv-es from perifh-
ing we were obliged to go down to the (hore and bring up
pieces of our wreck to make a fire. If we happened to
pick up a (hirt or handkerchief, and did not give it up
to the Moors at the firft demand, the next thing was a
dagger offered to our breafl. They allowed us, however,
a piece of an old fail; which they did not think worth
carrying off, and of this we made two tents and crouded
ourfelves into them, every one fitting between the others
legs to prefcrve warmth and make room. In this unealy
fituation, continually bewailing ourfelves and our poor
fhipmates upon the wreck, we paiTed a mofl tedious rainy
blowing night, without fo much as a drop of water to re-
frefli us, except what we catched through our fail- clothe
coverings.
*< November
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1^4 LETTERS FKOH
With regard to the authenticity of what
I have related^ I had it from an account
written
^^ Kdvembcr 30th. Frefh gales, harcl fquaUs» and rain.
At £x in the morning we went down with a number of
our men to aifift our fhipmates in coming on fhore, and
/ound the fhip had been greatly fhattered in the night.
It being now low watery many attempted to fwidt to land.
Some got fafei others perifhed. The people on board
got the raft into the water, and about fifteen men upon
it 5 but they were no fooner put off from the wreck than
it quite overturned. Moft part of the men recovered it
again, but were hardly on before it was overturned a fecond
time. There were only three or four that got hpld of it a
third time, the reft periKhed. During this interval a good
fwimmer brought a rope on fhore with much difficulty,
which I had the good fortune (by running haflily over the
fliarp rocks into the water,) to catch hold of, juft as he
was quite fpent, and had thoughts of quitting it. Some
people coming to my afliflance, we pulled a large rope on
(bore with that, and made it faft round a rock. This we
found gave great fpirits to the poor fouls upon the wreck ;
for as It was ftretched tight from the upper part of the
fiern, it made an eafy defcent to any who had art enough
to walk or Hide upon a rope^ with another above to hold
by.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 175
written by a merchant of Gibraltar, who
was partner to Mn Read, This gentleman
endeavours
by* They continued coining by the rope till about elevefi
o^clock, ;tho' many were .waftied off by the impetuofity
of the furf^ and loft. High water coming, on raifed th^
furf ftill more, and prevented others from venturing at this
time, as the ropes could be of no further ufc. iVe thea
retired from the rocks, and hunger prevailing, went about
broiling fome of the drowned turkeys, &c. which, with
fome flower baked upon the fire, made our firft meal upoa
this barbarous coaft. We found a well of frefh water
about half a mile ofi^ which very much rejoiced u$« ' But
we had hardly finifhec) this coarfe repaft, than the Moors
(who were now grown very numerous,) drove us every one
down to the rocks; beating us if we lingered, thio* fome
Were hardly able to craw.1, to bring up empty bound caiks,
pieces of the wreck which had moft iron about them, an4
other things. About three o'clock in the afternoon we
made another meal on our drowned poultry, and finding
this was the beft fare we were likely to have, fome were
ordered to fave all they could pick up upon the fhore,
others to raife a larger tent, and the reft were fent dow;i
to the rocks to look for people coming on fhore. The
furf greatly increafing with the flood, and breaking upoji
the
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x^6 LETTERS FKOU
endeavours to excufe his laying violent hands
upon himfelf by divers reafons ; but as the
fafts
the fore part of the fhip, fhc was ncfw diridcd iiltd three
pieces. The fore part was turned keel up, and the middle
part was foon dafhed into a thoufand bits. The fore part
of the poop fell likewife at this time, and about thirty men
with it, eight of whom got fafe to Ihore with our help^
' but fo bruifcd, that we defpaired of their recovery. Now
was to be feen a moft melancholy profpeft. Nothing but
the after part of the poop remained above water, with a
very fmall part of the other decks, on which our captain,,
and about one hundred and thirty more remained, expect*
ing every wave to be their laft j for the wreck feemed as
if it was going inftantly to throw them all to the bottom,
and ovcrfct upon them. Every fliock threw fome off, few
or none of them came on fhore alive. During this dif-
trefs the Moors laughed very loud, and feemed much
diverted when a wave larger than common threatened
our poor tottering countrymen with deftrufiion. Between
four and five o'clock the fea was much decreafed with the
ebb. The rope being ftill fecure, they began to venture
upon it. About five we beckoned as much as poilible for
the captain to come upon the rope, as this feeoied to be
as good an opportunity as any we had feen, and m^ny
came
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^ O R T U,G A L, SPAIN, &c, 177
jfefts conclude here, I fhall leave you td
make the determination upon them your own
judgment fuggefts.
LET-
came fafe with our afliftance. Sdtile told us that the cap-
tain was determined to flay till all the men had made the
beft of their way to land, or, at leaft, had quitted the
wreck 5 wliich travery of his, tho' we could not but ad-?
mire, we could not but deploi-e. However, we ftill con-
tinued to beckon for him^ and juft before it was dark we
faw hira come upon the rope. He was clofe followed by
a go6d able Teaman, who did all he could to keep up his
ipirits^ and ailift him. As he could not fwim, and had
been fo long without any tefrefhment, with the furf hurl-
ing him violently along, he was no longer able to refift
the force of the wives, and had unavoidably perifticd, if
a wave had not thrown him within reach of our ropes,
which he had barely the fenfe left to catch hold of. We
pulled him up, when after refting a little time upon the
rocks, he came to himfelf, and walked up to the tent;
deiiring us ftill to affift the people in coming on fh'ore*
The Moors wanted to have ftript him, tho' he had no-
thing on but a plain waiftcoat and breeches, if we had not
(hewn a little fpirit on this occaiion, and oppofed them ;
upon which they thought proper to dcfift. The people
N continued
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17S LETTERS FROM
LETTER XXIII.
tlSBOir, MARCH 27, 1759,
J. promifed you fome further account of the
affair of the jefuits in thefe countries* But
as a deep cloud feems ftill to overwelm the
whole
continued to come on (horc pretty faft, tho* many pcrifh-
cd in the attempt, but they plainly faw their cafe wat
defperatc, as the wreck muft inevitably fall to pieces with
the next flood. The Moors growing tired with waiting
for {d little plunder, would not let us ftay after them upon
the rocks, but drove us all up. I then, with the captain's
Approbation, went and made humble petition by figns to
the bafha or commander, who was in his tent with many
other Moors, dividing the valuable fpoiU He underftood
meatlaft, and gave us leave to go down, fending fonre
Moors with us. We carried fire brands along with us to
let the poor wretches upon the wreck fee we were ftill
there ready to affift them. I dare fay fcveral perifbcd
while
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, kc. 179
wholes affair, I will wait another week in
hopes of its diffipating* With regard to the
nobles
tvhile we were gone, for want of our help; for we had
been but a few minutes upon the rocks when one came
very near to us before we faw him. And this was fre-
quently a circumffance of as much horror as any we met
with 5 for juft as we had been able to perceive them, they
have been wdfhcd from the rope, and dalhed to death,
againft the rocks clofe by us. About nine at night, find-
ing no more would venture upon the rope, as the furf was
greatly increafed, we retired to our tent with hearts full
of forrowj leaving, by the laft man's account, between
4fchirty and forty fouls upon deck. We now thought of
flowing every body into the tent, and began by fixing
the captain in the middle^ We then made every perfcm
lie down upon their fides, as taking up lefs room than upon
their backs. But after all many enjoyed eaficr lodgings
in empty calks.
** December ift, moderate and fair weather. In the
morning the wreck was all to pieces upon the rocks, and
the Ihore was quite covered with lumber. The people
upon the wreck all perilhcd about one in the morning, as
we learnt from one who was toffed up and down for near
N 2 two
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nobles I think there is nothing more to add.
Some of them, indeed, have been relegated
to
two hours upon a piece of it^ and at laft thrown upon
the rocks fenfelefs ; but he recovered^ and got to the tent
by day light, tho' greatly bruifed.
** The Moors were very bufy in picking up every thing
of value, but would not fuffer us to take the leaft trific,
except pork, flower and liquor : of all which we fecured
as much as we could in the tent* In the meantime,
others were enlarging and raifing a fecond. Some were
were trying to make bread, and others cleaning the
drowned ftock. At one in the afternoon we called I
mufter, and placing the men all in rank and file, we
found our number to be two hundred and twenty. A
hundred and thirty were drowned ; among which number
was the firft lieutenant, the captain of marines, his lieu-
tenant, the purfer, gunner, carpenter, and three midfhip-
men. We now returned public thanks to Almighty God
for our deliverance.
** December 2J, moderate and fair weather. At fiv5
in the morning we found George Allen, a marine, deai
clofe by the tents, which we fuppofc was by drinking
brandy
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. i8i
to Angola, and other parts of the Portu-
g\iefe dominions ; and the remainder are ftill
in
brandy among the rocks, as feveral had got drunk that
way, tho' we u(ed what means we could to prevent ic«
There were two men whipt by captain Barton's orders,
fpr their infolence^ which was highly neceffary, both to
convince the Moors and our own men, that they were flill
under our command. We fubfifted entirely upon the
drowned dock, with a little fait pork to relilh it, and the
flower made into cakes. We iffued thefe provifions regu-
larly and fparingly, not knowing at prefent whether we
fhould have any thing from the Moors or no ; as they
fiill poqtinued to be very troubleipgie, and wanted to rob
us of the aanvas which covered our tent. Their bafha
feemed to take our part, but at the fame time winked at
their villainy, and (hared in the plunder. He employed
us in faving all the iron we could from the pieces of the
wreck. At two In the afternoon there arrived a black
fervant, lent by one Mr. Butler at SafFy, (a town about
thirty miles pff,) to enquire into our condition, and give
us ailiftance. The captain wrote .him a letter, the man
having brought us pens, ink and paper : and the finding
there was one offered us help, greatly raifed our drooping
fpirits,
N 3 " Dcccna-
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in prifon. You tell me you are wondering
how the people here live with^t hou&s. It is
f
tnie
** December 3d. Moderate weadier, Ibmetimes raining.
In the morning we aflembled the people, and read prayen
of thankigiving. In the afternoon a letter came from
Mr. Butler, with fome bread, and a few other neceflaries.
We heard, likewife, that one of the tranfports and a bomb
tender were wrecked about three leagues to the northi^ard
of us, and a great many men fayed.
<« December 4th. Moderate weather. The people were
employed in picking up pieces of fail cloth^ and what
clfe the Moors would permit them. We diftributed the
people into meiTes, and*ferved the neceflaries we received
the day before. They had bread and the flelh of the
drowned flock. In the afternoon we had another letter
from Mr. Butler, who is faftor to the Danifh African
company, and himfelf a Dane. We had likewife ano-
ther letter at the fame time from one Mr. Andrews, an
Irifti gentleman, a merchant at SafFy. The Moors were
not {6 troublefome as before i moft of them going off with
what they had got.
^* December 5th. Squally weather, with rain. As the
drowned flock was all expended, the people were employ-
ed
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 183
true the earthquake and fire deftroyed moft
pf them; focQe, however, were fo little da-
i maged
\
ed at low water in gathering mufcles. At ten in the
morning Mr. Andrews arrived, and brought a French
furgeon with him, and fbme medicines and plaifters ; of
V^hich many of the bruifed men flood in very great need*
Thomas Tompion, feaman, died in the afternoon, by his
truifes mortifying. Several mpQ were employed in roll-
ing cafks of water from the welU
** December 6th. Squally, rainy weather. We ferved
one of this country blanket^ to every two men, and pam-
poofes (a fort of flippers,} to thofe who were moft in need
of them. Thelc fupplies were brought by Mr. Andrews.
The people now were forced to live upon mufcles and
bread, as the Moors had deceived us, and not returned^
tho' they promifcd to fupply us with cattle.
^^ December 7th. Dirty fqually weather, with rain.
The people were employed in gathering mufcles and lim-
pets. The Moors began to be a little civil, for fear the
emperor ihould punifh them for their cruel ufagc. In
the afternoon a meiTcnger arrived from the emperor, wha
W^s d^t Sallcc, with orders in general to the people to fup*
N i plj
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i84 LETTERS FROM
maged as to be eafily repaired and rendered
habitable. They have likewife run up tem-
porary
ply us with provifions. Accordingly, they brought fomc
poor bullocks and lean (heep, which Mr. Andrews per-
chafed for us. But at this time we had no pots to make
broth in, and the cattle were fcar^e $t for any thing elle.
<< December 8th. Squally weather,, with heavy rain.
The people were fcrved this morning with mutton and
bread, and employed in rolling water from the wel^«
^^ December 9th. Little wind, with Ihowers of rain.
In the morning we faw feveral dead bodies caft up by the
fea upon the rocks. The people employed in bringing up
the oak timber, &c. &c. from the fea fide, as the emperor
•had fent orders to fave whatever might be of ufe to hi^
cruizers.
. " December loth. Light airs, and fair weather. In
the morning we got every thing ready to march to Ma-
rccco; the emperor having fent orders to that purpoTe,
with camels to carry the lame and baggage. At nine we
iet out with about thirty camels, having got all our liquor
with us, divided into hoglheads for the conveniency of
carriage.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 1^5
porary edifices, befides an immenfe quantity
pf barracks, or huts as we might call them
in
carriage* At noon we joined the crews of the other two
tranfports, which had been wrecked as well as ourielvet*
Every perfon was then mounted upon camels, except the
captain, who was fttrnifhed with a horfe. We never ftopt
till feven in the evening, when they procured us only two,
tents, which would not « hold one third of the men; fo
that moft of them lay expofed to the dew, which was
heavy and very cold.
** We now found our whole number to be three tun-
(dred and twenty eight, including officers, men and boys :
with three women and a child, which one of them brought
pn (hore, holding it by its cloaths in her teeth,
^* December nth. Fairpleafant weather. We now
continued our journey in the morning, attended by a
number of Moors on horfeback. The alcaide who had
the conducing of us provided feveral of the officers with
horfcs. We did not travel ftraight towards Marocco, being
informed we muft meet the emperor at Sallee. At fix in
the evening we came to our refting place for the nighty
and were furnifhed with tents fufficient to Cover all the men.
Wc
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i^ LETTERS FROM
m England. The reafon of thcfc bnildinga
being erefted out of the town is owing, as I
think
Wt fennd mur ooiidoAon feldom ftopped from ftn-rife t»
iuo-ict ; that being the cuftom of the ewntrj^ with wUck
ire were obliged to complj.
^* pecember iith. Fair we^thep. At five in tie
ooming we fet out as before, aod at two in the afternooB
Aw the emperor's <;avalcade aC a diftance. At tkree a re-
lation of the emperor's, named Mqky Adriffe caaae to m»
and toU the captain it was the emperor's orders he fhouid
that inftant write a Utter to our governpr at Gibrakar, to
fend to his Britannic majefty, to know whether he would
fettle a peace with him or no. Captain Barton fat down
direflly upon the grafs and wrote a letter^ which he gave
to Mulcy Adriffe, who went and rejoined the emperor.
At fix in the evening we came to our rcfting place for the
night, and were well furniihed with tents^ tiho* verj
little provifion^
*^ December 13th. Pleafant weather. We continued
here till the men .were a little refrclhed^ of wjiich they
flood much in need. They brought us more provifions.
than the day be£sre« Thifi i^orning lieutenant Harrifon^i
Commandii;^
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 187
think I have already mentioned, to no per*-
fon being allowed to build quite on frelh
within
commanding o£|ccr of the foldiers belonging to lord
Forbes' regiment, died fuddenly in the tcnt*« fa the
evening, while we werp burying him, the inhuman
Moors difturbed us by throwing fto^ies and mocking us*
** December 14th. Pleafant weather* Our men re-
covered greatly with the reft we had here. They woe
furnifiied with earthen pots to make broth in.
** December 15th, The people were moftly employed
in cooking, as wc were now pretty well fupplied with
beef» This morning we found the Moors had opened
lieutenant Harrifon's grave, and ftript the cloaths from
off him.
f* December i6th. Fair* weather. We continued our
journey as before. At five in the afternoon wc came to
our refting place, pitched our tents, and ferved the
people with provifions. Here fome of the country Moors
ufcd our people ill as they were taking water from a
brook. The Moors would always fpit in the veffel before
they would let them take any away. Some of us upoa
this
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within it ; as all the ftrccts are to be formed
jiccordiDg to a certain plan, which the court
has
this went down to inquire into it, but were felutcd with
m fliower of ftones. We run in upon them, beat them
pretty ibundly, put them to flight, and brought away
one who thought to defend himfclf with a long knife.
This feUqw was feverely punilhed b^ the alcaide ythq
|iad tl^e condudin^ of us.
•« December 17th. Fair weather. In the the morn-
ing we gave the pec^le a dram each, as had been ufual,
and continued our journey. At four in the afternoon
we came to our reffing place for the night. After Ibmc
difficulty we got tents^ and a proper fupply of proyifions.
^ <• December i8th* Fair weather. This liioming wc
proceeded on our journey as before, and at Ithr^ in the
afternoon came to the city of Marocco, without having
ften one dwelling houfe in the 'whole way. Wc here
were infulted by the rabble as wc pafled. At five o'clock
we were carried before the emperor, furrounded by five
or fix hundred of his guards. He was on horfeback be-
fore his palace gate, that being the place where he difbi-
buted juftice to his people. He toM captain Barton that
be
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PORTUpAL, SPAIN, &c. i§^
has not yet ifliied out, nor does it feem at
t
all certain when it will be fettled.
In
he was neither at peace or war with England^ and that he
\v*ould detain us till an ambaiTador came from thence to
fettle a firm peace. The captain then defired that wc
nnight not be ufed as flaves. He replied haftily, that wc
ihould be taken care of. Then we were direftljr thruft
out of his prefenccy and conveyed to two old mined
houfes, where we were (hut up all night amidft dirt and
Innumerable vermin of feveral forts. Mr. Butler^ whom
I mentioned before, being here ypon bufinefs, came and
affifted usy and procured liberty for the captain to go
home with him to his lodgings. He likewife fent fome
blankets for the officers, with which we ~ made a fhift to
pafs the night pretty comfortably^ as we were much tired
and fatigued.
** December 19th. Qoudy weather, blowing frefli,
with rain. This morning we found our centry was
taken off, fo that the people had liberty to go out. They
lent us moreover fome bread, and towards evening fome
beef, but we had no copveniencies as yet to drefs it, and
the people were all day employed in cleaning out the rub-
biih and deftroying the vermin as weU as they could.
" Deccm#
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i$o LETTERS F^ROM
In the mean time fpring is approaching
with hafty fteps in thcfe countries, and I
ihall fliortly be fetting out for Spain.
LET.
•* December 2ptli. Little wind and rain. This morn-
ing fome of our baggage was brought to us, with the neccf-
faties we had upon the road. Our baggage had been rum-
maged, and the captain's trunk robbed of nineteen ducats^
fcveral rings, and filver buckles, a watch and other things,
moffly belonging to the officers, and which we had with
difficulty faved from the wreck. Mr. Butler and his part-
ner Mr. Dekon did every think in their power to affift us.
The people had now pots to boil their viduals, and were
in no want of bread.
** December 2ift. Cloudy weather with rain ^timcJ.
This day the emperor fcnt money to the captain to fopport
his men, at a blanqueen a day each, or two pence ilerling.
But as that was too little, captain Barton got money of
Mr. Butler to make it up two blanqueens, or four pence
ftcrling, which he managed himfcif to the beft advantJrgc,
allowing them one pound of beef each, with broth,
and one pound of bread each every day. At nine this
mortiing the emperor fent for the captain and every officer
to appear before him. We lAimediately repaired to his
palace,
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &e. t9t
LETTER XXIV.
lisB<»r, AP&iL J, 1759.
I
Will now, tho' it is ftill pofEble to do it
but kiuely, give yott what I know concern^
ing
palace, where we remained waiting in an outer prd twd
hours. In the mean timt he was diverting himfelf in iee*-
ing a clumfy Dutch boat rowed along by four of our petty
officers. About noon we were called and placed in a line
about thirty yiirds before him. He was feated in a chair
by^the lide of a pond, with only two of the chief alcaides
with him. When he had viewed us fome time, he or-i
dered the captain to come forward, and after aiking him
a good- many queftioHs concerning our navy, and where
our (quadron was going, we were alfo called before him
by two or three at a time, as we ftood according to our
rank. He aiked moll of us fome very infignificant quef-
tions, and took ibme to be Portuguefe, becaufe they had
black hair, and others to be Swedes becaufe they had
white
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ing the jefuits, for I believe it is in vain td
expert things will become clearer at prefent.
You
w^tc tair, judging none of us to be right fengllfh, ex-
cept the captain, the fecond lieutenant, the enfign of
itiarines and myfelf. But we affured him we were all
Engtifli, ib that crying bony he gave a nod for our depaf«
tuTC. To this we returned i veiy low bow, ^ and were
gtad to get our old ruined manfion again* Our number of
officers at this time was thirty from higheft to loweft.
•* December 22d. Fair weather. Captain Barton pro-
vided the people with ftufFs for frocks and troufers, and
mats and pillows to lay upon, with every other neceflary
that could be got. They were all employed in making
thcmfclves clothes in the beft manner they could.
** December 23d. This morning the emperor fent a
meffage to the captain, with orders, if any of his mea
Ihould be guilty of a crime, to punilh .them in the fame
manner as if they were on board his fhip. But fuppofing
they Ihould quarrel with the Moors, they muft fland to
the Moorifh laws, which are very fevere againft Chrif-
tians. This day Henry Nicholas was puniflied for getting
drunk and abufing his officers.
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PQftTUGAL, SPAIJI, &c. 1^3
Yoii remember what a noife the afiairs of that
ibciety in America made in Europe, When
Spam
^ December 24tli. The people were very well fktis-
fied with theit provifions. This being Sunday we aflem*
bled them all and read prayerfi as if we had been on board*
It is to be obferved we had but one bible amongfl us all^
which was a prefent from Mr. Andrews before mentioned^
and tho' we had no clergyman, captain Barton never omit-
ted a fingle Sunday to have fervice performed^ either by
the fecond lieutenant or royfelf.
*< Dei:ember asth. Being Chriftmas day> prayers were
read to the people at ufual in the church of England.
The captain teceived a prefent of fome tea and loaves of
fugar from one of the queens, whofe grandfather had been
an Englifh renegado^
<^ December 26th. This after nodn we hedrd the difa-
greeable news, that the emperor would oblige all the £ng«
lifli to work, the fame as the other Chriftisin ilave$^ ex-
cept the officers that were before him ^n the 21ft inftant*
« December 27th. Cloudy Weather widi raid. At
fevcii this morning an alcaide came and ordered the people
O. ' All
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f94 LETTERS FROM
Spain ii9^ ^r^ with Portugal to exchange
t^c? exten6v€ countrj of Paragiiai againft
their
all wt to woffc» except thofe d»«t were fick, and by mter-
ccAm eight were aUoved to ftay at borne every day a»
cooks lor tke others. This they took by tHvas through*
o^l tb)c whole. number* They letm^ at four ia thr
afternoon. SonEie had been, empfeyod io carrying wood,
fome JA turning up the ground w»ihKoes> axdotlKirs in
picking weeds in the emperos*s gasdeos..
** December 28th, Cloudy weather. All the ^ople
went to work as foon as diey could fec^ Tb^y were al-
lowed to fit down an bouc and a half sa die natddte of the
day, but had many a^ftroke from then dftx^os^ tibo' tbey»
were dlMog their uixsoft t» defeirve bctjbsr ufago;, Caf>latii»
Barton was driving all that was in his^ power t6ge€ tbia
remedied, which by the affiftance of a friend of ours,
one Juaft Acbona^ we were in hope* of dwig. This
perfon had been eight years, in Africa, and was. takta UiH
der Eogltfh c^burs,. notwithftandifig he had.a.pa&figned:
by general Blakeney at MSn<^ca. The ennperor bad kegt
him for two or three years paft near his own perfon, and
|>utmuch confidence iabiiQ. Atfojur in ^ afternoon
the people returacd. Twq of the ttiarinea hadi a hundred.
baftinad^jps
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^OfettJGAL> SPAIn, &c. 195
their fettlementof Nueva Colonial the jefu-'
its who had originally been fent thither as
^ * miffionaries>
baftinacloe^ each, for behaving in a difrefj^edful manner
while the eniperor was looking at tlieir work.
** December tgih. Cloudy wfeathcr. The people Went
to Work as before. They Were n6w> allowed a hot break*
faft of A fort of porridge fweetened with honejr befbro
ithey fet out. Their work, was fometimes to till the
ground, at other times td> carry w0bd or Aont for build*'
ing,' and fuch other things as flaves are commonly em-
ployed in*
^^ Deceniber j;6th, captain barton received a kind let*
ter from the emperor, with his leave to ride out or take a
t^alk in his gardens with any of his officers.
** As We \^erei ndW got into a fettled way, and as moft
of the fame things daily revolved, I fhall only remark any
([fxtraotdinary occurrences.
*^ About the begintiirig of February two foldiers died,
il^ithin a few days of each other. The emperor enquiring
the reafon of this, was told by Juan Arbona, that it was
cccafioned 1>y their catching cold for want of cloaths^
O z Upon
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196 LJETTEHS FROM
miffionaries, defended the former, as they
do ftill, againft the united forces of Spain
and
?
Upon this he was direSly ordered to give every Englifh
(lave as much white linen as would make him two fiurti.
** Upon the 22d of March a Spaniard having fomc
words with a Moor, who had firft ufed him ill, was car-
ried before the emperor, who being in a bad humour that
da]^, ordered ihe poor fellow to be knocked on the keaif
direftly with a hoc, and the dead body to be expofed for
two days afterwards. During this time the Moors and
Jews Ihewed their difpofition by dalhing the body to
pieces with ftones as they paflfed. We now received let-
ters from Gibraltar which gave us hopes of fpecdy relief.
Our men was not fo healthy as at firfl, fome having got
the flux and others fevers.
** On the 26th cf May we received a letter from the
governor of Gibraltar, with an offer of one hundred and
fcventy thoufand dollars as a prefent to the emperor for
our freedom. He feemed very well pleafed with this, and
promifcd to fend immediately for the ambalTador at Gib*
raltar, who was appointed to tranfaft thefe affairs.
** June i5tb, a courier, by name Toledano, a Jew,
fet out with the emperor's letters to the ambaffador.
« The
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 197
and Portugal, refufing to yieid it up to
either, jand fcmie of them became generals to
the
** The ad of July the emperor fet out from Marocco
with an army of fix tboufand men, which, by rtport, was
foon to be augmented to thirty tboufand. He went to
fubdue fome part of his dominions that would not acknow-
%dge his fovereignty.
*^ About the loth, feventy mens heads were fcnt from
the camp, and placed againft one of the great gates of the
city, befides feveral alive, who were capitally puniflied.
The emperor about four or five days journey from Mji*
rocco had fome fmart ikirmifhes.
**' It was now the middle of September, when we were
afiured of the long expeded arrival of our ambafiador at
Sallee with two of his majefty's fhips, the Guernfey and
Thetis. The emperor was acquainted at his camp with
the money for our redemption being on board ; but elated
with his fuccefs by land and iea, and having nothing to
fear till the next fpring, he only trifled with \is by making
extravagant demands. Our ambafiador at laft very pru->
dently left the coaft, having loft two anchors in Sallee
Toad.,
Q J ^ ThQ
/
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1^8 LETTERS FROM
the Indians, who blindly followed perlbns
that had already enflaved their confciences,
and
<^ The latter end of September the empeior returned
. to Marocco after having Qniihed hi) eampaign facoefi-
fuUy,
*' Heatlaft, tho' not before the beginning of Febniarj«
tefolved to fend Toledano a third time to Gibraltar (he
had fent him a fecond time the preceding OApber). He
ordered him^ at his final determination, to accept of two
.hundred thooiand dollars for all the Engli(h fabjcds in his
dominions, and twenty»five tboufaod dollars for all other
pretenfions, which term^ were agreed to by the go^veroor.
'< In confeijuence of this, on the iitb of April our
men left off going to work> and on the 12th in the even-
ing the emperor fent for captain Barton, the fecond lieu-
tenant and myfelf, and told us we were going next morn-
ing, and tliat he would make peace with our nation if
they were willing, if not he did not care. He then gave
, a pod for our departure, which we moft chearfuUy ac-
cepted with a very low bow and went away.
«' Accordingly next morning, being all ready before
fun-rife, we waited till nine o'clock for the mules and
camels*
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 199
and whom tjiey deetncd faints. This caufed
the firft noife about them, in Europe, and
pope Benedia XIV. nominated cardinal Sal-
dania, patriarch of Lifton, reformer and vi- .
iitor of this affair With the moft ample
powers. The cardinal fufpended thejefuits
from preaching ^nd confeffing, however, I
fuppofe for political reafons, they were ac-
framels. When all were come, we prciceeded upon our
journey attended by a bafha and one hundred fbldiers on
hdrfe-back. Captain Barton was now confulted how fail
he chofc to travel and when to ftop. In the ^vcTntng we
pitched our tents in the form of an exa£t oval, the cap«
taints clofitig one end and ours the other.
^< We got to Sallee the 22d of April, and pitched out
tents in an old caftlc, from whence we had the happinefii
once again to fee our royal matter's fhips ready to receive
VS. But when we viewed the bar of the harbour covered
with a large roaring furf, we began to think our embarka-
tion wonld probably prove tedious, which accordingly
happened. At hft, however, with hearts full of joy we
got on board the Guernfey, our ranfom being paid to the
Moors at the fame time they relcafed m out of their
hands/*
O ^ cufed
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LETTERS FROM
cufed publicly of no other crimes than that
of trading in the Poituguefe dominions, ^
thing forbidden to any friar, tho' the jefuits
certainly carried on an extenfive commerce.
Upon their being fufpend^. from the cure of
fotdsj the father general of the qrdcr fent a
letter or memorial to Rome. It was written
after the new pope's (Rez^onico) acceffion tq
the throne, and couched in the following
terms, tho' I have ftortened the length of
the original.
^' IVIoft holy father,
^* The general of the fociety of Jefus,
proftrate at the feet of your holinefs,
humbly reprefents the extreme grief and
forrow that all the order experiences up-
on account of niapy rumours fcattered
about the kingdom of Portugal, which
attribute crimes of the moft heinous
nature to fome of them living in the do-
-minions of his moft faithful majeftv.
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I^ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. aoi
^* This court having obtained a brief from
** Benedi£k, the Fourteenth of pi6us memory,
^ by which he named reformer and vifitor
^ * with the moft ample powers the cardinal Sal-
" dania, in virtue of it the faid moft eminent
^* patriarch has publifhed an edift, wherein
^* Ije declares our whole order univerfally
*^ guilty of negociation. Befides this his
** eminence has fu{pende4 from preaching
and confeffing not only all the jefuits in-?
habiting the city of Lifbon, but all in
^' general throughout thefe cjominions, not-
" withftanding the lawg by whiqh bifliops ,
" are deprived of this prohibitive power
" againft any whole order of religious perr
^' fons without fir:^ confulting the holy fee*
And to add to the feverity of this prphibiT
tion, not only notice was given to us of
^* the faid fufpenfion from preaching and
** confeffing, but the edi£t was ordered to
'^ be fixed up publicly in all the churches of
'* Lifbon. Of all this the father genersil
•^ has in his cuftody ?iuthentic teftimpnies,
it
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it
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^M LETTERS tiL6U
^* The religious Jefiiits of Portugal have*
♦' fufiered orders like thcfe, fo offenfive to
^ the honor of the whole fbciety> with a
•^ humility and fubmiflion worthy of thenu
^ They doubt not of the right intention of
^ his moft faithful mjyefty, nor of that of
^^ the moft eminent cardinal and other nvi-.
•^ nifters under him, yet ftill they dread led
^* thefe may have been artificially pre-foccu-.
^* pied by calumnious perfons, as they caa
*• nev^r perfuade themfelves, that any o^
^' their body are guilty of fuch henious
^* crimes as the world attributes to them,
♦^ efpecially as they liaVe not been convifted
*♦ of them in any court of juftice, nay have
^^ not even had the liberty of producing
^ their defences and allegations.
*^ And even fuppofing they were guilty
♦* of the heinous crimes fo unjuftly laid to
** their charge, yet ftill they hope offences
♦* of fo high a nature ate not common to all^
^^ nor to t|ie major part of their oxder, tho*
^ they
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^03
** they all behold themfelves comprehended
<^ hx one promifcuous punifhment. And
** finally, were all the jefuits refiding jn his
^* moft faithful majefty's dominions guilty
^^* from the firfl: to the laft, which cannot
^* Ije fuppofed, yet ilillpur order begs to be
^^ heard with candour, and more cfpecially
^^ thofe who, in all other parts of the worldt
** ftrive with moft indefatigable diligence to
^* promote, as far as lies in their power^ the
** honor of God and the falya^iph of their
neighbour,
Mi
** Nqw the difcredlt and damage, which
** attends fuch afperfions, iare extended to all
" the order, an order which abhors even the
*^ liame of thofe crimes which are imputed
^' to them, and would not willingly do any
'* thing that might ofFen4 either the ecclefi-
'^ aftical or civil power.
^^ It is upon this account that the mem-?
•' bers of it wifb with the greater ardor to
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a<H LETTERS FROM
^* iee themfelves juftified from calumnies of
•• which they efteem thcmfelves undeferv-
^' ing.
The fuperiors of the order have only
begged that they at leaft might be privately
• informed of the guilty perfons, and of the
^* proofsagainftthem, and that they would be
** the firft in cutting off all thofe abufes that
•^ nptay have been introduced ; but the hym-
♦♦ ble fupplication and offers of the fupe*
•* riors were not thought worthy of atten*
^' tion,
*^ Care muft be taken left, inftead of a
** profitable reformation, rife be given to
f* unprofitable difturbances, which, indeed,
^^ are much to be feared at prefent in the
•^ countries beyond fea. All ^hat cardiual
** Saldania afl:s of himfelf, we have not the
" leaft doubt of his performing in the beft ani
*^ moft juft manner, but we are, with reafon,
^^ ?fraid, that the perfqps he may appoint
«< to
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PORTURGAL SPAIN, &c. ftoj
•* to trzrxtzQt aflFairs abroad fhould, throujgh
" ignorance or ill will, Imbroil matters ftilr
•* more than they are at prefent,
•* The general, therefore, of the fociety
•* of Jefus, as well for himfelf, as in the
•^ name of all the order, implores your ho-
** lineft to attend to this their humble en-
treaty, and in confequence of it, they
fupplicate you to ufe your authority, and
to aft as your high underftanding (hall
^* think beft, to the end that thofe who zrt
*• innocent may be indemnified by a juftifi-
cation of their aftions, as alfo to provide,
for the juft and profitable amendment of
•* thofe who may be guilty, and, in fhort, for
>' the credit of the whole order, that they
** may with the greater honor promote. the
** fervice of God, and the falvation of fouls,
** feryirig the holy fee with all thankfulnefs,
•* and imitating the pious zeal of your ho-
*• linefs, for whom the general as well
as the order fhall pray to the Omni-
potent,
<^
€€
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m LEttfeftS Ffe6M
•* potent, to fhower upon your holmefs alt
^ the bleffings of heaven for fnanjr years td
•' come, to the joy and profperfty of the,
•* univerfal church*"
*rhc anfwer from Clement the Thirteenth
to this memorial was very ftrong againft the
jefiiits. He fay$ that the late pope had ap-
pointed cardinal Saldania as vifitor, that
what he had done was righf^ nor was it
doubted but he had fufficieilt reafonS f6r his
proceedings ; that as for the credit of tht
order, it was their bufinefs not to have loft
It by committing aftions unworthy of iti
That with regard to the decree prohibiting
them from preaching and confeffing, it ap-
peared to be juft, as perfons who did not take
a proper care of their own fouls, feeined very
unfitting to have thole of the faithful Com-
tnitted to' their charge, and of whom, 'in that
cafe, it might be juftly faid, meJice, cur a teip-^
fum. That their objedling to the perfons
whom cardinal Saldania , might nominate to
tranfad
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &f- a^
tranfaA the afifairs beyond fea wa9 ccmfider-*
red as ridiculous, and caUipg in queftion the^
propriety of their judges before they knew
who thofe judges were to be. As to their dt^
iire that the caurt of Rome fhould interfere
in this buiinef^, the pope aflured them that
it would look very particular if, after his pre-
deceflbr had appointed cardinal Saldania to
manage the affair, he was to fnatch from
that prelate* & hands the authority conferred
upon him, and that without any iufficient
reaibn ; belides which, it was oertaia that the
court ^ Portugal would very' unwillingly
f^&r a cauie. begun in their ftates to be
transferred to Rome.
It was thefe feverities, which the court of
Portugal is faid to have ufed its ut'moft un*
derhand endeavours to get fhewn towards
the jefuits, together with more open infults
which the fame court offered them, that de-
termined their order to blow up the flame of
the aflaffination of the king, being incited
partly
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fl5i\ LiEttEltS F^ROk
partly by revenge^ and partly by intereft, as
hoping their affairs would go on better under
a new reign, I have in this pap6r told you
z little what the jefuits did before the fatal
f!roke> and In my next I. will, endeavour to
inform you what has been dbne to them
fince that time^ but clouds and darknefs
intertept my path*.
The comet faid to be foretold (o many
years ago by Sir Ifaac Newton for the year
175S, has at length appeared in thefe cli^
mates, • The Windfor man of war has
brought a French Eaft Indiaman outward
bound, into this port.
LET-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 209
LETTER XXVi
• iiSBON, APRIL 8, 1759*
F T £ R the fatalattempt of the third
of September was put into execution, no-
thing was immediately done to the jefuits ;
howevef, about the tinie of the nobles being
taken up, thofe of that fociety in Lifbon
were confined to their convents ; arid after
the fexecution,of the nobles, a ftrift order
of fconfineliient was iffued out agairift all the
jefuits in the king's dominions. The orders
are given in a letter from the king himfelf,
which he addrefles to one of his magiftrates.
it is as folio W9,
- " To Pedro Gonfalvez Cordeiro Pereira
** of our council,' chancellor of the Cafa
** de Supplica^aon arid our friend,
** I the king greeting,
P " The
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210 LETTERS FROM
** The pernicious machinations, fcanda-
** lous feditions, revolutions, and declared
** wars excited by the religious perfons ot
" the fociety of Jefus in thefe kingdoms
** and their dominions,' and which are at
*' this time manifeft to all Europe, gave us
** juft and indifpenfible motives of com-
** plaining of their proceedings to the holy fa-
' " ther Benedift the fourteenth, thenp.refident
'* of the univerfal church of. God ; hoping
that his wifdom, without^ pjoceeding to
extremities, might be able to reprefs thofe
great diforders. But the Jefuits fo far
^ from being fcnfible of our religious cle-
." mency, grew the more iniblent, and in-
" ftead of fubmitting humbly to the pun-
" ifliments that were inflifted upon them,
** dared with arrogance never before feen or
** heard of, to deny the truth of thofe
** crimes that were alledged againft them.
** Not content with this, they have lately
*' publifhed their infolent excuses, and have
proceeded to other fteps yet more infa-
mous
4C
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, 8cc. aii
^* mous and raflbj by having pretended to
'* alienate our loyal fubjefts from that love
'* and fidelity to their fovereign, by which
^* the Portuguefe above all other civilised
'* nations have heretofore been diftinguifhed ;
* perverting to this moft, horrid end the
* facred myfteries of our religion, and by
* means of them comriiunicafting and fpread-
* ing abroad the poifonous Contagion of
^ theii* facrilegious calumnies againft us,
* and againft our government, till they
* arrived at laft to form within our very
' capital the horrid confpirdcy, treafon and
^ parricide, of which they as well as the
^ other criminals have been corividted. In
^ proof of which adjoining to thefe pre-
* lent 8 we ferid you a copy of the original
* trial lighed by Sebaftian Jofeph de Car-
* valho of our council, and fectetary of
* ftate for domeftic affairs ; ^nd to this trial
* you ai*e to give the fame credit as if you
* had been prefent at the original fentence
* paflfed the twelfth of this prefent month
Pa •* of
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412 LETTERS FROM
it
«4
of January in our court of high treafbn.
The public neceffity, therefore, obliges
us to make ufe of that power which God
hath put into our hands, to maintain and
defend our royal perfon and government,
** as well as the public repofe of our faith-
*^ ful fubjefts, agaiuft the infults and incon-
** ceivable rafhnefs of this perfidious order.
•* However, wp feel due forrow in not being
*' able to difpenfe with proceeding to thefe
** laft remedies, in which we fhall confine
*^ ourfclves to what the kings our moft re-
** ligious predeceffors, as well as other
" princes and ftates in Europe, equally ca-
** tholic and pious, have done in cafes of
** treafon and rebellion committed by eccle-
*' fiaftical perfons even of the higheft digni-
•' ties, and in cafes lefs flagrant than the
" prefent,
"We therefore command you (tho'not
" upon account of our own authority, v but
** only from the indifpenfible and natural
'* obliga-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 213
^* obligation we lie under to confult the
" defence of our own royal perfon and
♦' government, as well as for the tranquillity
^* of our dominions and fubjedts, till we can
*^ recur to the apoflolical fee,) as foon as
** you fhall receive thefe pre;fents to order a
^* general fequefter to be made of all the
^* efFe<5s, rents, and penfions which the
♦ * aforefaid Jefuits may enjoy throughout thefe
*' realms ; naming what affiftants you think
** requifite for the tranfaftion of this affair,
♦* an4 forming inventories of the effefts
f^ found in each of the religious houles ;
** making a fchedule.of the rents and pen-
^* fions certain or uncertain belonging to every
*' one of the faid religious houfes ; which
^^ rents and penfions are, as they become
^^ due, to be locked up in coffers with three
*' keys ; one of which is to be given to the
" truflees chofen by you, another to the
^' corregidors of the Comarcas, or their
" deputies, and a third to the fcriveners of
^^ the Correi9aon ; keeping within the faid
•P 3 '* coffers
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$14 LETTERS FROM
^* cofiers the books of revenues and expencd
•* which (hall occur after the beginning of
*' the execution of this order. When you
•* (hall have put into execution all thefe
** dequeftrations, you (haH give in to our
'* fecretary of ftate a general fpecificatlon,
*' written in a good and legible charafier, of
^* the annual revenues of all and of each of
** the faid religious hou(es, together with
*' the fum total of their refpedive Maounts.
» •' Nowas it is not our intention that,mthe
** churches, minifters (hould be wanting to
*' the divine fiindlions, much lefs thatlcga-
^* cies left for maiTes and other holy works
•* (hould not be complied with ; our will is,
*' that put of the beforementioned coffers
" there be taken by your order thpfe fes
** of money that m2,y be wanted for the pre-
*^ parations of maffes, celebrations of divloe
*' offices, and complying with the wills o'
^* teftators who have left fums of money to
" pious ufes. Qur pleafure alfp is, that you
likewise
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 215
** likewife tafce out of the faid coffers the
" money ncceffary for the maintenance of
*^ the Jefuits, all of whom we command to
*' retire to their refpedlive convents and
" houfes ; and to each of whom we grant
" for their fubfiftence the fum of one tef-
** toon a day, (about fixpence Englifh,) for
" befides the abounding proofs we have al-
^^ ready had With regard to the theological,
" moral and political errors, which this
** order has endeavoured to fpread about the
" city with fuch pernicious and deteftable
.** effefts, we have received certain intelligence
" that they now pretend with more anxious
^^ diligence to corrupt the provinces with
" the fame falfe and abominable doftrines*
*• We order, moreover, that all lay brothers
*' and coadjutors fpiritual that ipay be fcat<^
^* tered feparately up and down the country
*' be likewife apprehended and conveyed
" (all their papers being firft feized) under
*' fure cuftody, and by the (horteft way, to
^* their principal convents and houfes in the
P 4 ** cities
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ai6 LETTERS FROM
'i«
cities or notable villages that are neareft
" to where thej (hall be taken up, in whick
** places they (hall be confined with the
*' other Jefuits, and lie under a fimilar ei-
^* pjrefs prohibition of going out, or of com-
^* municating with our fecular fubjeSs.
** We command you alfo to take care that i
^* military guards be always in their fight,
** who (hall oblige them exadly to pcrfomi
^* this feclufion, until we order the contpary.
^^ And for the execution of thefe our orders,
^* we command that you be affiftcd hy the
** military power, which you may require
^* at pleafure, ordering the generals andper-
*^ (bns charged with the command of our
^* armies, as well in the refpeftive provinces
*' as at this court, to aid and aflift you with-
•* out any limitation, as often as you ihall
^- require it in our royal name, with liberty
*' to command any number of troops to
^* march, which you or the magiftrates ap-
** pointed by you fhall think neceflary, as
• * well to the places where the fequefters
«' are
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PORTtJGAL, SPAIN, &c, ftij
^^ are to be made, as to the convents and
^* hovifes where the jefuits are to be cpn-
** fined ; to the end that thofe guards may
" fecure the aforefaid houfes, and infpeft
^* the ftrift feclufion that the Jefuits are to
•* obferve in them, as is done in this capitals
^' We judge it unneceffary to ufe any urgent
.*' expreffions to excite your diligence m this
*' weighty afFajr, as we are confcious of the
^' great zeal, fidelity and redlitude which you
** have always manifefted in our royal fer-
^ vice.
' Given at our palage this 1 9th day of
January, 175^.
^' Lthe King/'
I (hall fet out to night at ten o'clock for
3eville, but fhall only crofs the river Tagus,
to be ready in the morning for proceeding
ijpon my journey,
J, E T.
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M» LETTERS FROM
LETTER XXVI.
BEJA^ APRIL 12, I759.
^xLL that we know further about the
jefuits than what I have mentioned, is^ that
Cordeira Pereira punftually executed the or-
ders received from th© king, which I fent
you in my laft. AH the jefuits are confined
to their refpeftive convents, and a ftrid guard
placed over them. Some of the principals,
as, indeed, I faid before, are inprifon, of
whofe defliny we are entirely ignorant, h
the mean time their caufe is examining in the
court of Rome, and I imagine after things
are fettled there, the determination will be
publjfhed concerning the whole body, which
moft people think will be totally exterminat-
ed out of Portugal, and the order of the
pious
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. si)
pious fchools introduced in their ftead. This^
tho' little, is all we know, and I believe time
alone will difcover thoroughly the proceed^
ings of this court. They would willingly,
I think, bring (bmejefuits to public execution,
but they feem afraid of openfy attacking an
order fo formidable in the Roman catholic re-
ligion, as the minds of the vulgar are
ftrongly prepoffefled in favor of every thing
that has the outward appearance of fanftityt
I will now give you fome defcription of my
journey from Lifbon to this place, where I
have been very kindly received into the houie
of a gentleman to whom I brought a letter.
As this is the holy week, which is not pro-
per for travelling, efpecially in Roman ca-
tholic countries, I fhall ftay here from this
prefent Thurfday till Monday next, when
I fhall continue my route towards Seville. I
left l^ifbon upon the 8th in the evening (hav-
ing, as I faid in my former letter, to crofs
^he rjiver Tagus) that J might be ready to
^fcen^
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MO LETTERS FROM
afcend my chaife early in. the morning, and
continue my journey. The place I was to
lay at is called Aldea-galega, about twelve
Englilh miles from Lifbon. As the -moon
flione bright my little voyage wa$ rendered
very agreeable by her rays. I was pulled
^ong with eight oars, and being aflifted by
the tide glided fwiftly through the water.
The city of Lift)on looks ej^treniely plea-r
fent from the Tagus, as the bouf^s are iitu-'
ated up6n little hills, and rife gradually one
above another, whieh forms a moft delight^
ful view. The brightnefs of the moon ren-i-
dered the town more confpicuous, yet her
beams were not ftrong enough to difplay the
horrors of it, and make the ruins vifible,
which in the day time look melancholy from
the fpot in which we then were. The river
in this place is between two or three leagues,
over. Upon our' landing we found the inn
full of travellers, which put us to more dif-
trefs for accommodations than we (hould
other wife have fvifFered even in this inhofpi*
tabh
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN,^ &c. jtii
table country*. At about three, o'clock in the
morning the poftilion hurried . m^ up, tho' it
was paft four before we fet out. Upon my
coming into the open air the firft thing that
ftruck my eye-light was the comet, who
feemed to fcowl inatifpicioufly upon my
journey. I fuppofe he muft now be vifibl?
ro you inhabitants of Great Britain. Whether
it be the fame predifted by Sir I£aac Newton,
its courfe alone muft determine. This comet
appears to us nearly in the eaft, with its tail
pointing weft ward. Our mules had not
drawled us on far, before that beautiful rud-.
dinels which is the harbinger of the rlfing
fun appeared, and fhortly after the fun him-
felf emerged above the horizon and gilt with
his rays that vaft plain we were then travelling
over. The country was as ugly as ever eye
beheU." Flat- to the laft degree, except, in-
deed, fome diftant mountains which lay near
Li{bon. The foil, a deep white fand, which
permitted nothing to grow, but thofe ibrts
of fhrubs which flourifh uppn the moft
barren
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dii LETTERS i?ROM
barren heaths in thefe countries. The refle<r-*
tion from it gave redoubled power to the fun^
which being now very high, made us fenfible
of i^s force, tho* the heat was tempered
from time to time by an agreeable cloud,
which, however, are not very frequent in
thefe fine climates. About ten o'clock we ar-'
rived at our baiting place, which was the firfl
houfe we had feen iince we left Aldea-galega^^
Our inn had, indeed, three or four other
buildings to keep it company, but every things
elfe was nearly as wild and defert as even
As foon as my chaife flopt I difmounted. In
England and other countries the landlord and
landlady come out and make their compli-*^
ments to the ftrangers, in Spain and Portu*
gal things feem quite different, for you muil
go and pay your refpefts to them. To cona-
ply then with the cuflom of the country, I
went into the kitchen, and pulled off my hat
in great form to a lady who was fitting by
the fire fide, tho' it was burning hot, and
whofe looks told me fhe was the miflrefs of
the
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. alj
the houfe. She got up and returned me a bow-
ing courtefy with all the folemnity imagin-
able. In ihort^ many compliments pafled
oa both -fides^ in which I endeavoured to
change my Spanifli into broken Portuguefe*
The refped I fhewed got me a little fi(h for
dinaer, but the appearance of it, and of the
little ugly black woman who brought it in^
gave me no defire of tailing it, and I fhould
have made a more meagre dinner than any of
the Roman catholics, if it had not been for
our own provifions, upon which I accom-
pltfhed a hearty meaL As there was a little
pine grove nearly oppofite to the inn, I en-
tertained myfelf after dinner with walking In
it, and enjoying the few trees of which It
was compofed, as the whole morning I had
hardly feen a bufh* Upon my return I found
the inn crouded with the travellers who lay
at Aldeagalega the evening before. They
were Italians, and I thought, they were to
keep to the left hand to go to Madrid, but
they had made a little round for the fake of
' feeing
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214 LETTERS FROM
feeing Evora the capital of Alentejo, the
province in which I am at prefent. Our con*
verfation turned with juftice Upon the verj
bad travelling through Spain and Portugal,
till the appearance of niy chaife interrupted
it. We never thought of meeting again, as
I was to go to Silveres that nighty and they
only to Vent as Novas two leagues fhortof
it, and accordingly we took leave of each
other, with reciprocal wiflies of a good jour-
ney. I proceeded in the afternoon through
a country not much better than what we had
experienced in the morning, however we did
meet with two or three houfes, at one of
which I bought a large cargo of oranges,
which in the meaneft cottages are to be
found in the greateft perfeftion. Upon our
coming to Silveres we met with nearly the
fame treatment as in the former inn, with a
fupper nearly as bad, which, however, I had
not finilhed, when I heard two chaifes ftop
at the door, and upon looking out of the
window, I faw mfy new acquaintances the
Italians
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PoiTliGAL, SPAI!^, &c. «5
Italians getting out of them; They had
come on farther than they intended, and I
fpent d very meriry evening with them, till
midnight informed us that it was time for
travellers to retire to reft* .
Q^ LET-
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2i6 LETTERS ^ROM
LETTER XXVU.
LA PtJEBLAy APRIL I9, I^j}*
1 A M now at the firft little town in the
Spanifii dominions^ aiid a poor little place it
is; but to bring you here in due order! muft
continue my narration. ,
The Sun had no fooner rifen upon tis at
Silveres than I was feparated from n>y new j
companions, and purfued my route towarfj
Beja. They ftruck off to the left for Badajos.
We had ftill, however, another chaife ifl
company, in which was a Portuguefe gen-
tleman, who was carrying his daughter to
take the veil at Viana ; but they were fo
very refervc-d, it was impoffible to have
much communication with them. Indeed, |
one of the charaderiftics of the Portuguefe
feenis
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i^ORTtlGALi SPAIN, &c. 227
feems to be ah averfion, or I may fay hatred,
to foreigners. We dined at a little village
called St. Jago^ from whence wef were con-
duced thro' a very ugly country to Viana,
the place v^here I lay that night. Tho' the
country from Lilbon to Viana had refembled
what I wrote to you of near Aldeagalega,
yet juft by that town it was prettily inter-
fperfed with groves of olive trees, fituated
upon little rifing hills. Our inn and ac-
commodations we ftill thought Very bad, but
nothing to be compared with what I have
fince exjperienced in Spain. Here you find
nothing in the inns, if, indeed, there are
any, but a very dirty room, and what you
eat or drink muft be brought with you, or
you are obliged to run about the place and
buy it yourfelf. The intended nun and
her father left us at Viana, nor will I detain
you longer ih a town where there is nothing
to divert you ; and was hardly any thing for
me to eat.
Q^ 2 The
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228 /TLETTERS FROM
The reafon of fo great a want; of provi-
fions^ was our having been ovrerturned juft
in entering Viana, which had blended no
fmall quantity of fandy dirt w;ith our ftocL
Some pricfts, however, according to the hof-
pitality of the country, gave us part of theli
provilions, which with what I got at the inn
made up a poor fupper. The next day wc
dined at Cuba, a little village not above
twelve railes from Beja. Every thing was
very good here, as they had been previoufly
informed of my coming by my Beja friends.
A comfortable nap after dinner, according
to the fa(hion of fouthern countries, being
finiflied, we fet out, and arrived at Beja
above an hour before fun-fet. It is fituated
upon a hill which continues gently riling
for a great many miles every way round it*
This gives a very exteniive profpefl from
every part over a fruitful corn country, tht
only one of that kind of any extent, I believe,
in the kingdom ; and which is almof^ as
deftitute of trees as our downs, except, in-
deed^
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. a29
deed, a few olive groves on that fide towards
Seville. I met with many civilities from
the inhabitants of this town, or city, for fb
you muft call it to pleafe them. The firft
day I pafled there my landlord's mother
would not appear at table, on account of the
tyrannical cuftom in Portugal, which ren-
ders it indecent for a lady to be vifible when
there are ftrangers in the houfe. However,
by ftrong interceflion, (he came down the
day after, without any of thofe charms which
might n^ake her appearance of confequence.
As an exaA journal of what I did at Beja
muft be tirefbme, I will only tell yoU that
I had there an opportunity of feeing much
more of the Portuguefe than all the time I
remained at Lifbon. One evening I fpent
very agreeably at a gentleman's country
houfe about; three or four m/iles from the
placa, and juft in that part where the olive
^ trees are fituated^. An alcove placed under
fgpic orapge trees, and by the fide of a little
0^3 pond
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^30 LETTERS FROM
pond, gave us an opportunity of enjoying
the frefli breezes that blew and tempered the
heat of the Sun, which we have already
experienced much greater than at any time
in England. A profulion of fweatmeats
and other good things were fet before us,
to which we added oranges and fweet
lemons that we gathered ourfelves from
the impending branches. As we were
walking afterwards round the garden, a
large ferpent thwarted our way. I believe
he was a ystrd and a half in length. I W
never feen one fo big, and, indeed, he was a
very fine fight. When he found we in-
tended to kill him, he put himfelf in a
pofture of defence. He drew his tail and
hindermoft parts in a circle under lumf ^^^
raifing his head and cheft a foot above the
ground, darted out his tongue, and feemed
to fpit yenpm at us. But ftones fopn dii-
patcl^ed him, and extended him at his, lepgtn
Vipon the grounds
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 231
As it was the holy week, fome part of
the little time I was at Beja was occupied
in feeing Roman catholic fundions and
ceremonies. They are much more fuper-
ftitious in thole things here than in Italy,
and add cruelty to fuperftition, in permitting
the penitents to flog, and torment themfelves
in other ways, about the ftreets. The far-
ther you get from Rome, the more fuch kind
of penances are intermixed with religion ; and
learning feepas to banifti them entirely from
her empire.
As to the Portuguese, they are ftill fifty
years behind other nations. The great
cloak thrown over the left Ihoulder hides
every thing. And yet thefe very people,
whp owe the comforts of life to foreigners,
as their European and Indian dominions
produce little motre than wine, oil, oranges
^nd gold, begrudge the money paid to other
nations for their corn, cloaths, and other
piore neceif?iry commodities^
0^4 I- E T^
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aj? LETTERS FRQM
LETTER XXVIIL
lEVaLB, APRIL 23, 1759?
jljL F T E II a very fatiguing journey I am
at length arrived at this city. But to bring
you hither in dye, order I will continue my
narration, the thread of which I (hall tak^
up from my leaving Beja, as nothing farther
occurred worth mentioning during my ftay
there.
The pqflilion had no fooner condudled nae
out of town, than we beheld the road we
were to travel open for many miles before
us, for, as I told you in my laft, Beja ftahds
upon an eminence* We fbon got into a very
pretty country interfperfed with olive trees^
the fame I have already fpoken to you about,
and the only pne of the kind all round Beja#
but
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PORTUGAL, SPAIK, &c aj5
]>ut I foon had a different occupation for my
thoughts than confidering the beauties of na-f
ture. Through the negligence of our poftiy
lion, for ^l^e road was not extrerpely bad,
pur chaiie whpel gathering upon a right han4
bank, fent us and our bjiggage into a ditch
upon the left. I crawled out of the mifer-
able vehicle as well as I pould, but the diffi-
culty confifted in getting that upright agaln^
Juft at this time a country man fortunately
pafled within a few yards of us, Ibut;^ to give
you an idea of the Pprtuguefe charafter, he
never offered to flop or give us the leaft affiftr
ance*
Animated, however, at laft by the offer
pf fome money, he lent an aukward hand,
and after mucji trouble, (being forced to un-
tie the trpnk and all tjie re|l of the baggage,)
the ch^ife ftood onpe more upon its two
wheels, and we continued our journey. The .
roads were now very bad indeed,, or I mighf
perhaps with truth fay, there was no road at
41
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aj4 LETTERS FROM
'all till we arrived at the Guadiana. The
Guadiana is a river which ^ in a great
maoy parts divides the Portuguefe terri-
tory from that of Spain, but not juft in
that place I was to paft it, where there is
above a days journey further in the kingdom
of Portugal, till you come to a little river called
Chanfas, which indeed is a kind of arm of
the Guadiana, and feparates the two domi-
^ions by its ftream. As there was no road
down to the Guadiana but over p^wed
grounds, you can hardly imagine there was
any bridge to pafs it. Inftead of a bridge
there ftood a fine antique ferry boat, with
two men in it, who appeared of equal anti-
quity with the bark, and who, upon feeing
us come down to the river, conveyed their
veflel to pur fide. Here we were forced
again to untie all our baggage and take off
the mules, in (hort, lofe much time before
we could get into the boat, and at.Ieaft ?isi
much in getting; out of it again.
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PORTUGAL SPAIN, &c. 235
As the way from Beja to the Guadiana
had been nearly a conftant defcent, from the
Guadiana to Serpa, the place where I was
to dine, was almoft all up hill, and fonae part
very fteep. The winter torrents had fo
fpoiled the road, which they pretended to ,
have once been here, that the chaife was
obliged to quarter between clefts almoft big
enough to fwallow half of it. You may
imagine I did not keep my feat during all
tl^efe precipices, efpecially after paying fo
lately had the fpecimen of an overthro\v I
walked up the fteepeft part on foot, and as
we had fet out late in the morning, and had
loft much time . in our overturn and paffing
the river, it was now near two o'clocl^, and
the fun ftruck upon us with inexpreffible
heat; It was near four o*clock before we got
to the inn at Serpa, fo that it was impoffible
tq continue our journey after dinner, efpe-
cially a§ we wanted to provide ourfelves with
a guide, for the ph^tife-man knew nothing of
the way, npr could >y? ^^^ ^^y other at Beja,
Indeed,
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536 LETTERS FROM
Indeed, I did very wrong ever to come
to Beja in my route from Lifbon to Seville;
but I wasover-perfuaded by my friends therei
who told me it w:^s the fhorteft and beft way.
It certainly is the (horteft ; but I do not
doubt if I had gone by Badajos I (hould have
arrived much fboner and more cafily at Se-
ville. But thefe refleilions were now too
late, {o that I applied my thoughts to find-
ing out a good guide, and for that end deter-
mined to apply^to a gentleman for whom I
had a letter. But as I felt myfelf fatigued,
I deferred my vifit till I had eaten a mouth-
ful, and afterwards, inftead of making tt,
laid myfelf down upon a couple of ordinary
mattrafTea extended upon the floor, where I
ilept till fun-fet^
LET.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^yj
LETTER XXIX*
SEVILLE, APRIL 29, I759»
xjLFTER having repofed myfelf at Serpa,
my landlord, who was a Spaniard, conduc-
ed me to the perfon I was recommended to,
who promifed to procure me a guide that
knew every inch of the way over the moun^
tains. Upon my return I found two fentries
with halberts in their hands planted at the
ftreet door of my inn. The landlady came^
running out and informed me, that the go-
vernor of Serpa was come to make me a vi-
fit. I fincerely believe, however, that under
this ma(k of civility he wanted to be inform-
ed who I was that was leaving the kingdom ;
and indeed the confufed ftate of Portugal
might well juftify orders of that nature from
the government. Upon my coming into the
room
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lj« LETTERS FROM
room he addrefled me with a profufioD of
compliments. As we had no chairs, I ad-
vanced a joint ftool for his excellency to fit
upon, and we began a converfation in wliich
1 laboured hard to make myfelf intelligible.
After flaying* about half an hour he aro^,
and telling me he had importuned me with
that vifit only to know if it was in his power
to do me any fervice, he, marched off with
his military attendants. * » * » * »
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN> &c. 239
LETTER XXX.
SEVILLE^ May 3, 1759.
X Spent my, evening at Serpa with the
gentleman to whom I was recommended.
Hia family confifted of a wife and two pretty
girls between eighteen and twenty. Upon
my coming in I found the old lady feated
in a low chair, and her two daughters upon
two [round mats placed upon the ground,
where they were fitting like taylors. It is
faid, the <:onmion people of Portugal have
but newly introduced the cuftom of chairs,
which the great refort of foreigners to
Lilbon has given them an idea of. It is
very odd fometimes upon entering into coun*
try houfes to fee the good ladies all fitting
upon the floor like fo many Turks ; and,
indeed, I believe thefe are fome remains of
Moorifh
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44© LETTERS FROlVt
Moorifh cuftoms, as thofe infidels were i
long time in pofTeflion of Portugal and of
3pain likewife ; efpecially in the part where
I am at prefent. It is for this reafbn, that
the Spani(h and Pdrtuguefe languages abound
with Moorifli words, and I dare fay, the
great number of guttural fyllables in the
former were derived from that origin. But
not to detain you any longer in Serpa, I
will pafs over my bad fare that evening, and
place you with me in the chaife the morn-
ing after, into which I mounted before it
was light* In going out of the town I
ftopt at my friend's door, who gave me a
letter to an acquaintance of his that lived at
Corte de Pinto, where I was to lay that
night. After many compliments and many
embraces, which the Portuguefe dlways
burden you with, popping their head from,
the left to the right fhoulder, I at laft got
rid of my very good, but very ceremonious
friend, and the chaife once more rolled on.
We were five perfons in all, I and my
fervant
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l^bRTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 241
fcrvant made two, the poftilion three^ the
fourth was our guide on foot, and my land-
lord of the day before made the fifth ; who'
being to go' to a place fonle miles in Spain,-
chofe to walk it with the guide, rather than
at fome other time travel thro' all that
barren country alone;
I forgot tt) tell you that our poftilion
had tak^en with him from Beja the longefl:
largefl: broadeft broad fword that ever was
beheld, much too heavy for himfelf to
carry ; and which was depofited in a fort of
place made on purpofe to fufpend it, upon
the left front of the faddle of the mule he '
rode* . Here it hung like a fcarecrow, * for it
was altogether as rufty as large, and the
point had niouldered its way through the hot-
tom of the fcabbard. But now, with the
addition of our two men on foot, we had
acquired two other fabfes of the fame kind,
which being likewife too heavy to carry,
one viras adjufted upon, the mule that bore -
R the
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542 LETTERS FROM
the ihafts, and the other fixed behind th«
chaife upon my trunk. Thefe, befides the
arms I had, confiding of four piftols and
two fwords, formed our military furniture.
You may wonder to hear me talk of piftols,
having txAd you, I think, in my letters
about the affairs of Lilbon, that all fire
arms had been taken away from the Portu-
gucfe, and confequently, prohibited to be
carried openly. Let it fuffice for me to lay,
that at the fame time I got my pafsport
from the fecretary of flate for foreign a&irs
Don Lewis da Cunia, I got a licence for
carrying piftols included.
Equipped and accompanied in this man-
ner, I went on thro' a moft miferably defert
country indeed, where no mortal feemed to
have fet his foot. It was hilly, tho* the
hills were not very high, but then fo barren,
that it hardly afforded a tree; however,
there was plenty of undergrowth, and many
fljuibs, fome of ;vhich fmelt extr'emely aro-
matical.
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J^OktU GAL Sl^AINi kc. 24:3
taaticalj for lavender^ thyme, and balm of"
gilead, if I miftake not, and fbme othet
plants of this nature grow wild in thefe
countries; Road there was none, for as-
very few chaifes pafs the way I came frbnl'
Lifbon to Seville^ every paflenger makes a
track of his owni Having travelled on in
this manner for ,not a few tniles, fometimes
getting out of the chaife for bad precipices,
and at others being able to fit in itj we at
laft arrived to the place where we were to
dine^ You may think it was an inn, but
you would be miftakeil. It was a little
kjnowl of trees ftanding upon a rifing grouiadi
Here we alighted from our chaife^ pulled
out oiir provifionsj and fat ourfelves dowa
Upon the grafs. In the mean time> the
poftilion took dfF the mules, and fupported
the two (hafts of the carriage upon the loW
branch of a tree. After he had done this,
he tied his mules one on one fide of the
chaife, and the other on. the other; and
made %jacianger of the place where you fet
, R a yo\it
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M4 LETTERS FROM
your feet, which you will find will anfwer
that purpoie very well, if you reprefent to
your idea an Englifh open poft chaife with
two wheels, or a one horie chair. After the
two beads were adjufted we (at down in a
ring, and began making our rural meal in
all peace and quietnefs.
^LET-
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PORTtJGAL, , SPAIN, &c. 145
LETTER XXXL
SEVILLE, MAY 6, 175$.
J\ F T E R we had finiflied our romantic
dinriQr under- the knowl of trees mentioned
in my laft, the poftilion hung pieces of pa-
per upon fome of the branches, in token of
his having made a repaft there, as well as to
direft him and the guide in their way back,
for it is no\y time to inform you that our^new
guide knew nothing of the road. While the
mules were putting too I was inclined to
^ake a walk, but was defired not to feparate
myfelf from the reft for fear of wolves or
other accidents, with what foundation I can-<
liot fay.
Every thing being at length in order for
9ur departure, \ye proceeded on our journey
R 3 to
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?46 LETTERS FROM
to Corte de Pinto, the moft miferable village I
. ever beheld, fituated in the midft of that w^ild
country. This was the place where we were
to pafs the night, to aii inhabitant of which
I had brought a letter from Serpa. The per-
fon not being; at home^ but at a farm a inile
or two off, I was obliged to difpatch a mef-
fenger to him, and in the mean time fat
down upon a flone bench a( the door of the
hut which belonged to my unki;iown friendj,
9pd which, he not being there, was locked
up. Tho' I call it a hut, it was one of the
beft edifices, in the place. The poftilion
during this interval took off his mules, and
turned them grazing upon a fort of green be-
fore th^ door, a common cuftom in thefe
countries, where theii;- cattle very often live
^t the expence of the public. The whole
parifh, m,en, women, and children, foou
gathered all about us, and feemed to ftare
^s if we had fallen from the flars. A triflei
' pf charity I gave to a little ^irl who had
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. "247
got a diftafF fattened into her girdle, accord-
ing to the faftiion of thefe countries, and
was fpinning away veiy diligently, and
which I told her was for her induftry, cauf-
ed many others to appear in a fhort time
equipped in like manner, and form a fpiii-
ning^ party round about me. It was now
near fun-fet, and I was anxious about not
feemg my friend, but at laft he appeared
ft riding over the green with the perfon I had
fent for him. . Compliments having pafled,
which he returned in an honeft plain coun-
tf^y manner, he opened his hut, and my
goods were carried into it. He then with
authority, for he feemed to command, all the
village, ordered a country man to kill a kid,
and get it dreffed for fupper. In the mean
time we entered intQ converfation, which I
was obliged to maintain as well as J could.
He faid it was above four years fince a chaife
iiad pafled that way^ and that the road next
day would be much wqrfe than what I had
pafled. Fqr my farther confolation the guide
H 4 Qamc
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448 LETTERS FROM
came and confefled his igriorance of .the way,
cxcufing himfelf, however, upon his having
juft heard that the winter torrents had fpoil-
ed the road he ufed to go, and that none but
a country man born upon the fpot would be
.able to conduft us through the very bye and
round * about courfe we muft take* I was
forced to acquiefce, and a fecond guide was
hired, which was the lefs difagreeable to
me, as in thofe terrible roads where every
moment you may expeft overturns, an affift-
ant or two on foot is very ufeful, not to
mention their being a kind of defence to
thofe who pafs through fuch very defert
places. Having fettled thefe preliminaries^
and our kid being ready, we fat down to our
patriarchal fupper, which, notwithftanding
the animaPs being frefh killed, was far from
the worft I had made, and was fucceeded by
a good hard but clean country bed. My
, hoft in the morning would not accept of any
tiling for the trouble and expence to which I
had put him. The fame aflemblage of coun-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &C- ^49
try people flocked about my chaife as the
evening before, however, at laft on we
moved, and left t|ie ruftic multitude gazing
behind us.
LET.
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^^
LETTERS FROW
I. Tpi T T ^ R XXXII.
MEYltLX, MAY 10, 1759<
J? R O M Cortc de Pintq to the Spanifh
territory is not above three miles, and thofe
not the longeft. The two kingdoms are
Separated in this place by a little riyer,^ as I
pientioned before* called Chaiifas, Bcfides
this boundary of water there is a chain of;
hills, tho* not very highj^ called the Sierra
Morena, which alfo divide Spain from Por-
^;ugal for fopie way, and afterwards run on.
^nto Spain. You will find in Pon Quixote
this hilly, barren country, renowned for
many of bis adventures, and, indeed, i^
feems calculate^ for the manfion of delperatc
knights-errant. Our company was the f^ma
%s before, exgep^ the addition pf our n^ew
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, afn
guide, who was leading \is through briars
and brambles, where there was not the, leaft
fign of any perfon's having pafled before*
However we at laft arrived at the river
Chanfas, whicly tho' it had not rained foi?
fome time, was higher than it ought to be,
There had been a difpute the evening before,
whether we could go over or no, which had
been deterpiined ii^ the affirmative, and fo
indeed we did, but not without fomc difii-*
culty.
We had nqiboner fet our feet upon Spa^
iii{}i ground than all fnuff boxes were opened
and our Portuguefe an^l foreign fnufF given
to the winds. They are fo very ftrift here
that a pinch is enough to fend a common
perfon to the galleys and forfeit all his goods.
I do not fee the policy of this government
iii f9 entirely excluding all foreign fnufF
from the kingdom. They are, without
4oubt, in the right to give all the advantage?
Xlicy qm to their own manvfadlyres. But
piigh^
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152 LETTERS FROM
might not a high tax be of equal advantage
to their adminiftration, as that upon French
wines to ours ? To prove how ftrift the Spa-
niards are with regard to this commodity, I
will juft mention a cafe that happened lately
Two Irifli lads, of which nation there are a
great many of the Rt>man catholics, who
fend their children to be educated here,
coming from Cadiz to Seville, one of them
thoughtlefsly happened in an inn to pull out
a fnufF box, in which were two or three pin-
ches of rappee. A foldier who faw it took
the fnuff box from him, with the lofs of
*fhich they contented themfelves, thinking
all was over. But they were afterwards taken
up at Seville and thrown in prifon, where
they ftaid till intereft andnioney at length de-
livered them from durance. What renders
thefe countries more rigorous is their farm-
ing out all thefe forts of things. The go*
yernment receives fo many thoufands a year
from fuch a perfon, who is generally the beft
bidder, to whom they grant the licence, of
teiog
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Portugal, SPAIN, &c. 2^
being fole rrianufadturer of fome commodity,
as for example of fnufF, fpirituous liquors,
filkS, cloths, &c. Thefe tenants muft be
defejgided by government, or elfe none would
find it worth while to pay fuch large annual
fums, to reimburfe which with intereft they
often opprefs the fubjed. This alfo may be
the reafon why other commodities of the
fame kind highly taxed, are not admitted in-
to the kingdom, as it would create much
confufion to th^fnanciers.
But to return to our caraVan that was
now moving gently along upon the con-
fines of Spain, which as yet entirely re-
fembled what I had j'uftpafled of Portugal in
barrennefs and the nature of the country. ^
After we had gone on for about a couple
of hours the poftilioii ftopt under fome trees,
and told us it was breakfaft time. Accord-
ingly we pulled out our provifions, and were
enjoying them, when a Spaniard joined u6.
• He
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ij4 Letter SFROM
He was a country man and had a dog and
gun to kill fome game ill thofe dreary wades.
The different look of him from the Portu-
guefe, the different drefs and different lan-
guage ftruck me, how in the fpace of a mile
or two there could be fiich a change in the
inhabitants. I have heard people fay that the
Portugucfe and Spaniards are very much alike
in their cuftoms and every thing; I cannot
fay I have found them fo. It is true in their
appearance they are both black, but then
there is a majefty generally in the look of a
Spaniard which the Portuguefe feem greatly
to want. The Spaniih language too is
miich more fonorbus than thePortuguefe, nor
do the great quantity of gutturals in it dif-
pleafe me. Befides, I think, I like the Spa-
nifh drefs better than the Portuguefe^ It
confifts, indeed, of a cloalj thrown a fecond
time over the left (houlder, but of a different
tnake, colour and air from that of the Por-
tuguefe. This, with a fort of net over their
hair.
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PORTUGAL, Sf^AJN; kc. 4^^
hair, . audi a g^jeaft iltipped) hae^ compleavs tlie
common; drdk of an inhabitant of Andaluiia^
the province in which Seville is fituatcdl
Not but that Spaniards put on coats fome^^
times^ however, it is rare at this diftancc
from Madrid, except among the military
gentlemen. Some of them are very curious
when they drefs out. Being ufed to their
cloak, they find themfelves unhappy with-'
out it. Their cloaths fet iipon them in a
very aukward mariner, their waiftcoat geta
up to their chin, and their fword feems td
run through their haunches* In Cadiz^
however, the flapped hat is forbidden to be
ufed^ as it is a very populous town, and the
government has a mind to fee the inhabi-
tants* faces as they walk along the ftreets*
For really this fame dark coloured cloak with
a flapped hat, is as total a difguife to the men
as the veils are to the women.
1 hav6
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fkfS LETTERS FROM
I have made fb long a digreflion that I
feem almc^ to have forgotten my journey^
but I will bring you back to it in my next
papen
LET-
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'i>ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 257
Letter xkXiiU
SfevtLLt, idAt 14, .1759.
vJ U R bre^kfaff wif H the hunting Spa-
hiard and my dependents being firiiflied, we
continued olir journey. I had this mbming
another ©verturri, but received no hurt.
About a mile before we flopped to dine, we
tame to a place fimilar to ^hieh, 1 believe,
was never yet paffed by wheels^ Befides briers
and brambles, it was To very uneven and fo
fteep a defcent, that we were forced to tie a
tope found the chaife, and hold it up with all
Our force; At laft we got to the bottom^
and crplfed a little river, the name of which
I do not fiemember. As foon as we wer&
arrived on fhe other fide, we adjufted our-
selves under fome trees, and dined as the
day before, only with this advantage, that
S we
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a5« LETTERS FROM
"we had water juft by us for ourfelves ani
the mules to drink ; but the day before we
had been obhged to travel fome miles after
our mealy before we could get any* Wme,
indeed, we had in plenty, but that alone is
a bad allayer of thirft ; and it had taken lo
ilrong a tafte of the goat-lkin bottle it wa5
contained in, that to me it was extremeljdif-
agreeable ; tho' fome pec^e in En^^and^not
knowing whence it proceeds, fey they 14^
the taile of the Boracba or Ikki y^efkl We
were hardly fet down upon the grafswhcna
ihepherd joined, us, whom we made our
gueft, as we had doiie with the man in tk
morning, and which is, indeed, always the
cuftom of thefe parts of Spaki;^ where
every perfott will eat your proyi^&xi without
any ceremony^ and give you theirs without
any reludance.
Nothing very remarkable happened t^us.
In- the evenhig we got quietly to the little >^l'
lage where we were to lay that night. The
naoi^
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]^6l^tU(;AL, SPAIN, &c; 1S9
hame of it is La Puebla. Upon our arrival
isit the inn, I was obliged to conform to the
Bpanifli cuftom of fending all about the
place to buy every little thing we wanted*
All the neceffarics of life are very dear iii
Spain, which muft be the ciafe of a country
thatabounds in gold^ and nothiiig elfe, The
good efFefts of induftry atid commerde can--
not be ftronger proved than by confidering
the great quantity of gold and filver the
Spaniards have in the Weft Indies ; and yet^
at home, in maiiy cafes they waiit cominon
conveniences* Gold alone can never make
ia nation plentiful, on the. contrary, that
very gold muft go to othef kingdoms to buy
what the indolence of the inhabitants denies
them in their native Country* We ought,
however, by no means to attempt to open
their eyes* Their bliiidnefs is of too much
fervice to England, not to wi(h them to
continue in it. When you confider the two
countries, what I have faid will appear
ftroiigef. The climate of Spain would pro-^
S 2 duce/
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i6o LETTERS FROM
duce, they fay, every fort of conunodity^
neceflary for the wants or luxury of life,
that of England is too cold for many ; and
yet, the balance of commerce, notivkh-
{landing long wars, during which the French
introduced their manufactures, is infinitely
in our favor ; and I dare fay they receive
twice as many goods from us as we from
them. ♦***»»»» »t
L£T.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. a6i
LETTER XXXIV.
SEVILLE^ MAY I7, I759.
JlAI O T to keep you continually in inns, I
will omit what trivial occurences happened
to me in La Puebla, where the cuftom-houfe
people tumbled about all my things, mis-
taking tooth powder for fiiufF; and will feat
you with me in the chaife upon our journey
the next morning. I will, however, Tell
you, that before we could get away, the
poftilion ^as obliged to give fecurity for
returning the fame road he came with his
chaife and mules. I do not know the reafon
of this law, which feems calculated for the
inconvenience of coachmen, without any
immediate benefit to the ftate ; and, indeed,
the poor poftilion found a gentleman at
Seville, who wouM have tak^n his chaife
S 3 quite
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a62 LETTERS FROM
quite to Lifbon by Badajos, but not the waj
J came. He was certainly in the ri^ht^ as
it was only a rpad for breaking necks*
After we had travelled on for about five
or fix hours from this firft dirty village in
3pain, we came to our baiting place, which
was in the open fields as before, but with
thi? difadyantage, that we had not a fingle
tree to ihade us. The fun ftruck upon our
heads with unremitting fury, an4 when we
got into our chaife, it felt like an oven. Iv\
pur progrefs we met a patrole of guards,
who roam in parties about thefe wilds, to
hinder any counterband trade between Spain
and Portugal, which however, is every day
carried on by the Spaniards. I have heard
them reckoned t^e bolcjeft fmugglers of any
nation ; and they fay, th;it during our laft
war with Spain, they kept up a continual un-
derhand trade with Gibraltar, bringing pro-
vifions and other commodities to the garri-?
fpn ; for which fpme of th^m w^re h^nge^
^t
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^63
at Cadiz. The patrole of guards at firft
pailed us, but foon after faced about, and
ordered us to halt. They were ten in num-
ber, five of which with great pomp ranged
themfelves on one fide of the chaife, and
five on the other. The head or captain then
alked us with a magifterial voice, if we had
got any counterband goods, but upon (hew*
ing the credentials given us at the cuftom-
houfe of La Puebla, they fufFered us to pro-
ceed. A little before fun-fet we arrived at
the fmall town which was to harbour us
that night. Its name, if I miftake not, is
Sibiro. We had much trouble from a bridge
fituated at the entrance of it. It feemed good
at the beginning, but when we came to-
wards the other fiie, for it was very long,
one of the arches was broken down. As
there was no turning about, we were forced
to back the mules all the way. We at laft,
however, crofled the river, and got tg the
inn, which was fp very bad, th^t rather
than Uy upon the mattrafs they gave me,
S 4 or
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264 LETTERS FROM
or upon the beft ftraw they had, I chofe ta
fpend the night upon my trunk, with a
chair to fupport my hea4. I got away as
foon as poffible from this dreadful manfion,
in which, however, I had the advantage of
joining company with foine honefl: farmers
who were going to Seville.' We dined un-
der fome fycamores that grew near a depo-
pulated village, with old Mooriih walls.
Nor were our accommodations better in the
evening than heretofore ; but I have already
giveui you too many defcriptions of bad inns.
L E T-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 365
h E iv T ^ ^^ :?^xxv.
SEVILLE, MAY 21, I759t
J
A M now come to the laft day of ow
tedious journey from Beja to Seville, and
^vhich, indeed, was as laboriqus as any ; for
we h^d not got many miles before we found
, the road too narrow for the chaife to proceed*
^nd were forced to lift it oyer niany banks. It
was alfo twice overturned this morning, but
\ had the good fortune not to be in it. Be-,
fides all this, we \yere once ftuqk in a flough,
out of which, I believe, we fhould never
have been able to get, if we had not been
aflifted by fome countrymen's mules. How-
ever, we at length fame into a greater road,
-and arrived without any farther accident to
St. Lucar, of which name ^there is a port
npt far froni padiz, at the naouth of the
Tivey
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»66 LETTERS FROM
river Quadalquivir ; but the place where I
dined was only a large village of the fame
denomination. Upon our drawing fo near
Seville, our fare was much mended, and vre
found, at leaft, a poffibility of purchafing
part of what we wanted. As we had all an
inclination of getting to our journey*s ead
as ibon as we could, we fet out iq the face
of the burning fun ; and after having gone
dbouC ten miles, the famous cify of Seville
ilcod open to our view. It lies in a valley
iarrounded by little hills at fome miles dif^
lance, and towards the fouth^eaft the horizon:
{8 terminated by very high mountains,
which feparate this part of Andalufia from
Granada. But hereafter I may tell you more
of Seville, and (hall now only add, that we
aU entered it in good health, tho' much
fatigued, ****»***.*
LEJT.
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PQRTUGAI^ SPAIN; fee. aSj
J, E T T E R XXXVI.
f»V|LLE, MAY 24, 1759.
♦Seville, the ancient Hlfpalis, is the ca-t
pital of Andalufia, which, indeed, you knovf
as well as myfelf. The Spaniards reqkon i%
pnc pf the fineft pities in the world, and
tell you, that who has? not fe?n SeviJla, has}
not feen Mfravilla^ or a wpnder. It certainly
\s a very handfome town, tho' far frdnj
iDC][iial to their idea. However, its ancient
^oorilh walls, which have been lately re-
paired and painted, makc^ as romant)9 a£|
appearance as any thing I ever faw* Ther^
^re few EngUfli in this city, tjut a gre^tf
many Irjih Roman <:atholi(: merchants, fom^
pf whom are very ricl^. The true borjx
Spaniard has geijerally too high a notiou of
jiimfelf to apply to fommerpei and piucl^
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«6ii LETTERS FROM
Jcfs to the menial offices of life, whiQh arc
moftly performed by French or Italians.
During this war, indeed, fome of their (hips
have fpund their way to London^
Since jtny refidenqe at Seville, I have al-*
ways gone into the country for two or three
days at th? latter end of the weelj. Th^
plaoo I go to is called La Puebla, not the
dirty town I paffed thro* in coming to Seville,
as you may imagine from its diftance, but
another more clean little village of the fame
name upon the banks of the Guadalquivir,
(the ancieht Betis), I here enjoy a littla
freih air and country exercife, in which tho
vice-conful generally bears jne company.
You may wonder, perhaps, hpw there comes-
to be a vice-conful at fo little a village, but
I muft- inform you, that very few fhips
bound for Seville, come higher up the Qua-*
dalquivir than La Puebla, upon account of
the danger of the navigation. , In ipany
places there are banks of fand, and I never
f?w
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 169
'fitW a river wind more in all my life ; befides
which there is a law that fells very hard
upon matters of fliips, and this is, that fup-
pofing their veffel has the misfortune to run
on ground, they are immediately put into
prifon, till, at their own expence, they have
either got her off again, or broke her up,
and carried her away by pieces, in order
that the channel ihould not remain incum-
bered. ' Now in time of war there are, in*
deed, fewer fhips ; but I have heard, that
during peace here are fometimes no lefs thaa
twenty Englifh veflels come in a year to
load fruit for London* Many are at prefent
forced to rtiake ufe of other ftratagems, and
get what they can under Spanilh colours ;
with other contrivances of the fame nature,
too common to thofe who feek only their
private emolument.
LE T.
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S70 LETTERS FRONi
t E t T E R XXXvtt.
sevilIe, may 29^ I7S^*'
JTjL S 1 am hoW wbrking hard in perfe&ing
myfelf in the Spanilh language, I mufl>
confequendy, read a good many. Spanilh
books, and I have now before me one which
has entertained me exceedingly* It is Fey*
joo, a modern Spanifli author^ who writer
with much fenfe and elegance in this very
noble language, which I efteem the fineft
at prefent fpoken in Europe. As for^fome
particular fentiments now and then upori
religion, the Spaniards are fo bigotted to
their own, that thefe muft be expefted*
^Tho' perhaps, if there were no inquifition
in Spain, they would not be quite fo viru-*
lent, as they now may think it more eafy
to get a licence for the printihg of works.
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1»0RTUGAL, SPAIN, ice. ^71
if they fpeak againft proteftants. I need
not acquaint you that fhey muft have a
number of licenfes before they can print
any of their productions. One from the in-
quiiition, that there may be nothing againft
the church ; one from the civil magiftrate,
that there may be nothing againft the ftate ;
and others from other people, as for monke
from their particular order, and fb on.
Thefe reftraints check the genius? of the
Spaniards, for naturally they have to be
fure very great talents. But to return to'
my reading Feyjoo, v^ho is ftill alive, and
is a Benedidine Friar. He calls his work^
a confutation of all common errors. Moft
of them, indeed, that he takes in hand are
fo common, that any perfon of the leaft
education has already got rid of them;
however, his ftyle is very agreeable, and he
now and then runs off into entertaining
digreffions. Notwithftanding he includes
in his work the confutation of fuch puerile
opinions as thofe of ghofts, witches and
apparlr
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tj% LETTERS FRONT
apparitions^ he rifes fometimes to the moft
learned fubje£ls^ and treats of different
points of nfiathematieal and philofophica^l
knowle(ige. The fubjed of what I have
been juft now reading is, whether any na-
tion is fuperior to others in genius. After
having weighed feparately all nations in the
four divilions of the world, he fays he
thinks not, and that there is no real differ-
ence in their natural capacities^ but that
the being more or lefs barbarous, is owing
to their better or worfe education ; however,
if, fays hey there be any (I found thefe
words with pleafure at the end of his effay,)
I Iheuld give the preference to the Englifh
nation. I will tranflate you his own words
at length, as deferving to be read by every
Britiih fubjeft. .
" If, however, I were to give a prefer-^
•^ ence to any of the European nations above
•* the reft in fubtlety of genius, I fliould fide
*' with Heideger, a German author, who
" gives
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1?0kTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 173
** gives that advantage to the Englifti*
*^ Great Britahi undoubtedly, fince learning
" has been introduced into that iilarid, has^
" produced a great number of authors of
*' the firft clafs* It would be too tedious
*^ for nae, were I only to mention thofe,
•* which fhe has given to the order of Bcne-
** didine and Francifcan monks. I will
*' mention, however, three in each of thefe
** two ibcieties, who ihine like ftars of fu-
** perior magnitude* The firft* viz. the
" Benedidine order enjoyed the venerable
" Bede^ the renowned Alcuid, add the fa-
** mous Suiflet. The fectond boafts of
" Alexander of Hales, the fubtle Sootus,
*' and his pupil Willis^m Ockham. Car-
" dano makes the following rtflexion upon
** thefe two laft geniufes, whom he puts in
." the rank of the moft refined in the world,
'* and with regard to whom he remarks,
" Barbaros * ingenio nobis baud efle infe-
T rioresi
* '* That even the barbarians are not inferior to us in
•^ talents, fince Britain, tho' divided from ^hc whole
« and
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«74 LETTERS FROM
" riores, quandoquidem fub bnimoe calo
*^ divifa toto orbe Britannia duos tam clari
** ingenii viros emiferit/'
** Nor muft I omit mentioning, that
*' when other nations in Europe hardly
** knew what mathematics were, thefe ^vo
** orders .had very celebrated Engliih mathe-
** maticians in them. Roger Bacon TO
>' famous in that of the Dominicans. He
** performed fo many wonderful things as
*' to be fufpefted of magic. Some authors
** fay he went to Rome to clear himfelf
" from that afperfion. The common peo- '
** pie invented the fame ftory with regard |
" to him, as they tell of Albert the great, ,
*' that he had conftrufted a brazen head
" which anfwered him any queftions. |
" Oliver * of Malmfbury was no lefs fc-j
*• world, and placed under a hemilphere of winter, to i
** produced two fuch illuftrious men.'*
* Perhaps William. '
nioii^
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t^ORTUGAL, SPAIN; &c, 275
'^ mous in the Benedi£lme order. John
** Pilfey reports that he found out the art
** of flying. But he fays that projector
*' never had the good fortulie td get aboVe a
" hundred and twenty yards at a time.
" However, no perfon elfe ever did fo
'' much.''
In my next paper I will continue you
fbme more of what Feyjoo fays with regard
:o the Engliih nation. At leaft, it ihews
(Tou the idea the Spaniards hold us in.
T 2 L E T-
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iyfi LETTERS FROM
LETTER XXXVIIL
SEVILLE, MAT 31, I759»
JLJL N D now to continue you what Feyjoo
fays with regard to the Englifh nation.
His \vt)rks continue to entertain me exceed*
ingly.
*^ In phyfics, England has given more
*^ original authors than all other nations
" put together. Even the French, not-
" withftanding their zeal for the credit of
*' their nation, confefs the Englifli to have
*' the advantage over them in philofbphical
** talents. I may fay without rafhnefs, that
*' whatever advances have been made in
^* phyfics this laft century, they have been
** all owing to chancellor Bacon. It was
*^ he who broke, through the narrow bounds
witbitt
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. (277
^* within which philofophy was confined
" till his time. It was he who threw down
•♦ the columns upon which the »w//wi///r^
*' with regard to natural knowlege had been
*^ engraved for fo many ages. The learned
♦^ Peter Gaffendi was nothing but a faithful
** difciple of Bacon. What he had faid in
** ihort, Gaflendi repeated in his excellent
** philosophical writings in a more extended
♦^ manner. What Defcartes has worth any
^' thing in his works, was all taken from
*^ Bacon. After him comes Boyle, and
^' the moft fubtle Sir Ifaac Newton, who
♦* were alfo great originals, not to mention
^* Locke and Digby, and a great many
** others. But the livelinefs-of their genius
♦* has been attended with a misfortune
^* which Bacon himfelf remarked. For
** (ince they once abandoned the true path
** with regard to religion, the greater life
" their* reafoning has, the quicker they
'^ bewilder themfelves.. However, a Sir
♦* Thomas Moore has not been wanting to
T 3 " that
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278 LETTERS F R C5 M
that ifland, fince herefy deformed it, a
man no lefs famous for his learning than
for his firmnefs in the catholic religion.
Belides what 1 have already faid, I have
remarked that the Englifli in their philo-
fophical works give you an open explica-
tion and free narrative, void of all artifice,
of what they have found in their experi-
ments, a thing which is not fo frequently
to be met with amongft authors of other
nations. Particularly, it is a pleafure to
fee in Bacon, Boyle, and Sir Ifaac New-
ton, as well as in Sydenham the phyfi-
cian, how, without boafting .they tell
you what they know, and without blufh-
ing confefs what they are ignorant of.
This is the very charaderiftic of fublimc
genlufes. What a pity, that the fatal
cloud of hereiy fhould overwhelm them
with fuch melancholy darjcnefs,'*
Thefe are all the. remarks Feyjoo makes
in an eflay of his, entitled an ii;itelle(5lual
chart
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 279
chart of the whole world. In a private
letter to a friend he continues the fubjeft a
little, in which he attempts to recant what
he had fpoken in praife of the Englifh
nation. After having faid that all arts and
fcienees have been continually migrating
about the world, and that all nations either
have or will enjoy them, he adds.
** Thefe reflexions make me now doubt
** of the idea I ufed to hold before, of a
certain nation being fuperior to all the
reft of Europe in intelledual perfpicacity.
** But why fliould I be afraid to name it ?
*^ I fpeak of the Englifh nation. With
** regard to the modern Englifli, there is a
^* palpable reafon why there ought to be
" more great men among them in natural
'* knowledge than in any other nation
*^ whatever, and yet without their exceeding
" others in natural genius. The reifon is that
^* they apply themfelves more, or, at leaft,
^^ mpre commonly to ftudy, Mpnfr. Roliu,
T 4 '' fQ
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4t
a8o LETTERS FROM
** fo well known in the world by the naanj
and good hiftories he has written, confefl^
es with fome grief that the application, we
** are fpeaking, of reigns infinitely more in
** England than in France. He knew this
*' by having converfed with a great many
•* gentlemen of that nation, upon their
'^ travelSf He fays, he hardly ever faw one
** of theni who was not adorned with ex^
** cellent knowledge in one or more facuU
** ties. And I have been informed from
" other quarters, that a great many lords
** or principal gentlemen, if not the greateft
** part, have excellent libraries, which they
'* make ufe of as well themfelves, as permit
" others to do the fame. So that it is very
** probable that E^ngland, without having
*' any particular advantage in natural ta-
** lents, may have perfons better inftrud^d
*' in arts and fciences than other nations,
^' One field, without being of a richer qua-
" lity, will produce more than another by
" its being cultivated better. Befides, it is
*' morQ
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. a8|
** more eafy ^o find four perfons of remark-
able genius ampng four thoufand that
apply themfelves to fludy, ^han among
^* two thoufand/'
LET-
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il2 LETTERS FROM
LETTER XXXIX.
8f;viLL£, JUNE 5, IJS9*
J/ EYJOO goes on as follows in his letter
upon the Englifli nation. Tho' there are
fome things pretty nearly the fame as what
I gave you in the quotation taken from the
cflay of his, entitled The intelledual Chart
of the World, I will give you what h^ writes
at full length,
** True it is that England has exhibited fo
** many great geniufes, and of fo fuperior a
** ftamp, as to have induced* various literati
*^* of other nations to acknowledge fome ad-
" vantage in their underftanding above the
** reft, Heideger, a German author, fays
^* he found in the Englilh a more fubtle ge-
*^ nius than in all other nations. The great
^^ Fontenelle (than whom no perfon was
^* more
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 183
*^ more capable of deciding this queftion)
** altho' he does not exprefsly fay the fame
*^ in any part of his works, yet in many he
" fpeaks with fuch emphafis of the talents
** of the Englifh, that without any violence
** we may judge him to be of the fame opi-
^* nion. What is very remarkable, is, that
'* there are a great many French authors,
** who notwithftanding the noted emulation
** between the two nations, give it for grant-
** ed that the Englifh beat them in penetra-
^* tion and in depth of thinking, referving,
** however, to themfelves the glory of ex-
*^ plaining their thoughts better. And in-
^* deed it is not to be denied in this that the
^* French . greatly furpafs thofe neighbours
^* of theirs ; fo that it is almoft a proverb to
** fay, Englifli ideas with a Frenchman's
** pen.
ii
Father Rapin, with regard to this fub-
" jeft, merits a particular confideration above
^' all other French authors, not only as be-
" ing
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♦* ing a very famous CFitic upon the writers
** of his nation, as well as thofe of others,
^* but alfo upon account of his great devo^
♦* tion, which would naturally incline hin^
** to regard with difpleafure the darlngnefs
*^ of the genius of th§ En'gli/h, as treading;
** under foot th? moft aflured piaxims upon
'* which our religion is founded. Notwith-
^' {landing this he does not fail to do juftice
*' to their talents with regard to penetration
*^ and depth of thought in philofophy. In
<* the 1 8th fedion of his reflexions upoa
^* philofbphy, after confeffing this in geue^
*• ral, he exprefles the advantage the Eng-
** li(h have with regard to penetration by
^' calling it, ' that depth of genius common
^* to their nation/ Coming afterward? t^
♦^ /peak in particular of original modem
*' philofbphers, he fays, he finds but one in
** France, which is Defcartes, one in Italy,
** viz. Galileo, but that in England he county
** to the number of three^ 3acou, Hobbe*
^* and Boyle.
'^ What
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 28^
.. *^ What would father Rapin have faid,
'* if he had lived to behold that won-
** der of underftanding, he who with more
** than eagle*s flight mounted to the celeftial
•^ fpheres, and with eyes more piercing than
** thofe of the lynx, appears to have pene-
** tratcd the depth of thofe abyffes. Much
^^ more than all this is exprefled by the name
*^ of the great Newton. Of the three men-»
** tioned by father Rapin I have never feen
** Hobbes, nor any of the leaft of his works,
^* I know alfo that he is detefted for his im-
** piety* A man who attempted to deprive
" the king of heaven of his divinity, ,to
** inveft with it the kings of the earth, not
** owning other laws, divine or human,^than
•* the mere will of princes.
** Bacon and Boyle were original and pro-
" found philofophers ; Newton ftill more fo
*' than either of them. To Bacon nature
" gave the entrance into her magnificent pa-
*• lace, unfolding to his fight the gates
** which
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** which led to her moft mmoft recefl^s^
** And he acquainted the world with what he
** had difcovered in his two famous w^orks»
•^ Novum Ofganum Scientiarum, and that'
** de augmentis Scientiarum. To Boyle
** fhe delivered the key of one of thofe
** principal gates, through which he en-
'* tered into the hall where inanimate bo-
*^ dies were anatomized (a droll cxprejjion).
** To Newton Ihe gave a bright torch, by
** the light of which he was able to regifter
the ample fpaces of that great edifice,
where former philofophers had met with
nothing but darknefs, I could nam^ a
great many other remarkable perfonages
belonging to England, but fuch as are to
be paralleled in other nations. Now my
purpofe was not to produce to the public
all the great men, hut only thofe few.
<(
€%
«C
<(
-Qui ob fada ingentia poflunt
" Vere homines, et fcmi-dci, hcrocfquc vocari,**
Wtat
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 1^87
What Englifliman can read this, and
when he confiders it as publifhed in the
centre of Spain, not be proud of the cha-
rafter his nation bears there ? I confefs I
think myfelf a greater man than I was before
J perufed it, and I make no doubt but thefe
treatifes of Feyjoo will help to banifli from
the Spanilh foil thofe clouds of ignorance
which have hitherto opprefled a very fenfible
nation.
LET-
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ftSi LfeTtEltS FRdM
LETTER XL*
SETIttBj JUNE 14, ffjq*
I
Will ftill make you out another lettei*
with a continuation of Feyjooi who goea on
thus*
^' Notwithftanding Ivhat 1 have faid, thd
" reafon alledged before, of the Eilgliffi na-
, ** tion's applying more to the cultivation of
*' letters thati other kingdoms, is ftill fuffi-»
** cient to make us doubt, whether thofe
'* giant authors I have pointed out, niay not
** be rather owing to that, than to any parti*
*^ cular native difpofition in the inhabitants
" of the ifland of Great Britain. To this
" we may add, that the genius of the Eng*
" lifli being more hardy and intrepid than
** that of other nations, contributes much
« to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 289
** to the fplendor and credit of their pro-
** dudlions. . Certain it is, that in two per-
*• fons of equal talents, one however, of a
** timid, and the other of a daring difpofi-
**^ tion, the latter will outlhine the former,
'* not only in common converfation, in
^* which a little impudence is of particular
** advantage, but even as an author. A
** timid genius, tho' on many occafions,
** perhaps, capable of rifing above the com-
mon way of thinking and reafoning of
mankind,' yet contains himfelf within
fuch narrow bounds, from dangers his
imagination paints to him in committing
•' to writing any particulai? ideas, that
'* fometimes where he might afpire to the
" glory of an original, fear damps his
^' flight, and he remains buried among the
'* endlefs multitude of vulgar writers. On
" the contrary, he who is not afraid of
'* launching out into the open ocean in
" fpight of what ftorms may break upon
** his head, by giving freely to the world
U " thofe
€t
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^* thofe thoughts which an elevated genius
*' may fuggeft, is known and efteemcd by
" men of underftanding for what he is.
** Courage and underftanding* muft be united
♦* together to make heroes as well in literary
** enterprifes as in thofe of war, at leaft, to
^ • make people known for fuch,
** But from this laft refleftion an argu*
*^ ment of parity may be deduced in fevor
^' of the common opinion^ which gives to
*^ different nations unequal geaiufes.. If
*^ the Englilh are more courageous than the
^* inhabitants of other kingdoms, it follows
** that courage is in a greater or lefs degree
** in different climates, which without ,
^* doubt muft arife from the different con-i i
♦^ ftitutions of the people. From this dif^ i
^' ference in their conftitutions, to follow |
^^ the mpft current opinion, which jdoes not
^* admit any eflential inequality in fouls,
^* arifes the difference of genius. That their
^^ ponftitutions are different is to be collected
«' not
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 291
^ not only from one perfon furpaffing ano-
' ther in valor, ^but alfo from the difference
* that is found in their various inclinations
* and temper, which undeniably arifes from
' conftitution. One nation is more a(5live,
' another more idlej one more choleric^
* another more patient ; one niore opent
^ like the French, another more circum-
* lpe£t like the Spaniards ; one more fincere
like the Flemifh nation, and another
more cautious like the Italians, &c.
** To fay the truth, I cannot folve this
argument fo fatisfaftorily as not to leave
room for replies upon replies. As the
anfwering all thefe Would take up too
much time, I think it beft fo elude their
force, and only balance the cafe with ai
contrary argument taken, from experience i
I hsve lived from my youth in a republic,^
narriely, that of the college of my order,,
xvhere there is a contiuual exaft examina^
tion of the perfons that compofe it, td
U a the
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*' the ^nd that they may be advanced in
** literary employments, or excluded from-
** them. And even after employments have
** been conferred upon mdividuals, the nice
*^ obfervations we make of thofe who fill
*' their offices beft, and fliew fuperior or
** inferior talents in the exercife of their
** profeffion, may permit us to fay that by
regular degrees we are daily weighing the
value of their refpeftive intelleftual abili-
ties. Now in the iixty-one years and
** above that I have lived in this community,
** I have feen fubjefts without number in-^
** troduced into it from all the provinces
** of our monarchy, fo that I have been
** able to found tolerably well the equality
♦* or inequality of the perfons that came
** from them with regard to the difcuffion
^* in hand. But I declare, tho' this has
* • been many times the obje£l of my thoughts,
** I could never difcover any fuperiority thaf
** thofe of one province had in genius over
^* aiiy othpr. Howevef, you piay fijid ft
'' pretty.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 293
*' pretty remarkable difference in their turn. "
" But it does not follow from thepce that
** their talents are unequal*
** I have here given you what has pre-
** fented itfelf on both fides the queftibn, as
" things occurred to me> without any pre-
** meditated order, I now imagine you will
** afk me what is my determination? Is
" there any nation fuperior in natural ta-
" lents to the reft or no ? What I anfwer
** is, that the cafe feems fo dubious to me
** that I dare not pronounce the verdift.
" I will conform myfelf to what you deter^
** mine concerning it. Heaven guard you,
'^ &c."
1 am juft returned from a little expedition
I have made to a place called the Rocio, If
1 have nothing more entertaining for my next
paper, I may give you fome of the parti-
culars of it. There are prodigious quan*
tities of people go to this place once a
• ^\ U 3 year
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year; to adore an image of the Virgin Mary,
and as it is fituated in the middle of a foreft,
with no houfe near it but a little hermitage,
and the church, they live the two days
they always confume in this aft of devotion
in arbours made for that , purpofe, which,
together with their continual finging, danc-
ing, playing upon the guitar and other
inftruments, made a moft rural fcene. At
night too there were not bad fireworks, but
perhaps more of this hereafter.
i.ET-
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I
^PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 295
L E *r T E R XLl,
ifeVILtE, JUKE 18, 1759*
X Will now, as t have promifed, give you
fome circumftances of my queer jaunt to the
Virgin Mary del Rocio^ or of the Dew^
which I fpoke to you about.
My companion the vice-conful being rea-
dy, and our horfes at the door, I took leave
of my landlord Don Ignatio de la Pbrtela,
and fet forth. I need not tell you that
Andalufian horfes are very famous, not for
fpeed, for in that perhaps ours and thofe of
Barbary excel, but for their great docility
and beautiful warlike make. Thrown over
my left fhoujder lay my cloak, a conftant
attendant upon a Spaniard in all his pere-
grinations. We were ftopt foon after our
U 4 fetting
\
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fetting out- by a prodigious concourfe of
people gathered together to fee eighty-eight
redeemed captives enter the city. They
were jufl; come from Barbary, and had been
redeemed by the fubfcriptions of charitable
perfons, aided by the king of Spain's bounty.
There were two Irifh Roman catholics
among thepi, as likewife two women, a
great many boys, and one Moor efcaped
from his native country with the mtention
6f becoming a chrlftian, but the ceremony
is to be deferred till he gets to Madrid,
where it is to be performed I think with
Ibme pomp. They were all drefled in white
cloaks, with the badge of their redemption
£aftened upon them. In other refpedls they
ftill retained their Moorifli habits, and the
oldeft had long venerable beards, for {ome
of them had been a number of years in cap-
tivity. I fpoke to one of the Iriflimen, who
had been taken not long before on board a
Spanifh veflel. He faid that his principal
employment during his flavery was carry-
ing
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 297
ing ftones.to build a mofque. They fay the
Spaniards have now no more of their fub-
jedls prifoners in Africa. The vice-conful
and myfelf having at laft extricated our-
felves from this tumult, we got to the
bridge and pafled Triano, which, indeed, is
only a kind of fuburb to Seville. The firil
village in our way to La Puebla, where yvc
were to lie that night, was San Juan de
Alfarache, very pleafantly fituated upon a
riling hill, and not at a great diftance from"
the river Guadalquivir. We had fome rain,
which was followed by a cold wind, unex-
perieaced they fay in this part of the world
fo late in the feafon j and more penetrating, '
perhaps, than any felt in England. After
a very difagreeable ride, we got to La Puebla,
and hired a cart in which to proceed upon
our jourfiey the next morning. You may
wonder to hear me talk of fuch a vehicle,
and efpecially when I inform you it was to
be drawn by oxen ; but we muft have goije
cither in this manner or on horfeback, and .
the
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the latter would have been very inconvenient
upon many accounts, particularly as we
fiiould in that cafe have had no where to lie j
whereas^ a tilted cirt, with good mattraflfes
under us^ made a moft commodious bed,
for in the place where we were going, as I
have already hinted, thefe were no houfes^
The church in which th6 image of the
Virgin Mary of the Dew ftands, is fituated
in the middle of a foreft, where the bcft
accomknodations you can get arc under ar-
tx)urs made on purpofe, which are not (o
convenient as tilted carts, and many J)erfon9
come in them upon that account. * . * *
LET-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIK, &c. 1299
LETTER XLIL
SEVILLE, JUME 23, I759.
jCTlBOUT two o*clock in the morning the
vice-conful and myfelf mounted our ignoble
vehicle, where extending ourfelves upon the
mattrafles, we foon were lulled to fleep by the
flow and fedate motion of our cloven- footed
animals.
There h one advantage in thefe Spaniih
carts, which is, that there is nd danger of
being overturned, as the axle-tree is twice as
broad as any ever yet made in England*
What is their reafon for this 1 know not, but
it certainly looks very particular, efpecially
as the carriage is in general not broader than
ours. We arrived at breakfaft at a pretty
little village, where we were regaled by (bme
-of the vice-confurs acquaintances. They
gave
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gave us bread daubed over with a fort of fy-*
rup, which added to fome tolerably good
wine compleated our repaft. Our cattle
having by this time grazed fufficiently before
the door of our hoft«, were once more
yoked to the carriage, tho* to yoke is an im-
proper expreffion, as the Spaniards make their
oxen draw by their foreheads, bearing the
weight of the pole or (haft juft behind their
horns* They have but one (haft which
comes out from the middle of the cart, and
is c.ro(Ied at the end by a kind of (plinter bar^
that lies upon their heads. I will not venture
to fay whether the Spaniards or we are in the
right, but they certainly ought to know
where the principal ftrength of thefe animals
lies, upon account of their frequent bulU
feafts, in which cruel exercife all nations
allow them to be extremely dextrous* At
prefent, \pdeed, there is neither that diverfion
nor any other, upon account of the prefent
diforder of the king of Spain, who is not
expected to live, and is reported to be out of
his.
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:P0RTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 301
his mind. However, you may. often fee a
Jittle fpecimen of dexterity of this kind in the
fields, where the country people make no dif-
ficulty of provoking a bull and playing with
him. The chief foundation they grouAd this
art upon is the knowing that a bull fome lit-
tle time before he flrikes fhuts his eyes, fo
that by agility and practice, with the help
of their cloak, by which they deceive him
in flipping a ftep or two beiide it, and holding
it out to the extent of their arm, there is not
much danger of any accident happening. *
LET-
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LETTER XLIIL
SfVILLX, JUKE 27, 1759.
XJ E I N G fet out from the little village
where we breakfafted, we proceeded with
the ufual gravity of our ruminating animals
to Villa Manriques to dinner, where the
vice-conful knew almoft the whole town,
which occupied us in making twenty vifita
at leaft. I believe there were fifty cart$ like
ours here, all engaged in the fame expedition,
and all their paffengers feemed determined
to be as merry as they could. The guitars
were refounding, while the people danced
all about the ftreets. To give you fome
idea of the rural dances of the Andalufians,
I fhall only fay to you what a fea captain
fwore to me, that they exactly referable
what he had feen upon the coaft of Guinea.
!put I think he was too hard upon qui: man-
ner
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 303
ner of dancing here, for tho* there is cer^
ttainly not nxuch grace . in it, yet there is
Something paftoral and pleafing, efpecially
in the women with their caftaignets and
tambourines. The former is a little wooden
machine, which makes a fort of noife like a
rattle by clofing it, and is held in each hand ;
the latter is only a flat drum, with gingling
pieces of tin hanging rqund it. The man-
ner of drefs too among the countrymen is
pretty. In moft towns the cloak I have
mentioned fo often to you is worn, but in
the country it very frequently gives place to
a (hort jacquet put over their waiftcoat, from
which it is always of a different colour, and
the fleeves, inftead of covering their arms,
hang down genteelly behind. I do not,
however, think this drefs looks well but
upon young people. After having dined at
Villa Manriques, we proceeded to an old
hunting palace belonging to the king of
Spain, fituated at the beginning of the foreft,
in yvl^jfh the Fiofio, where we were going,
lies^
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lies, tho' at the diftance of fbme leagues.
We all had free accefs into this royal man-
fion, in confequence of which, it was filled
in a little time by our fellow travellers ; and
as the carts came thronging along very
thick after each other, we foon made up a
formidable affembly. The diverfion was
finging and dancing till the fun was fet,
when on all hands fires were lighted abroad
under the adjacent trees, and different fup-
pers prepared by each refpedtive community.
About tQn o'clock our whole caravan fet out
afrefli, and towards fun-rife we arrived at
the fcene of diverfion. I confefs, the ruraU
nefs and novelty of the thing ftruck me.
The feeing fo many thoufand people all at
Qnce, dreffcd fo paftorally, and lying about
under the trees, prefented no lefs than a
fecond Arcadia to my view. The foiind of
their guitars and other rnufical inflruments
greatly heightened the idea of ancient ftories
of fhepherds and Ihephe^defles. We ftayed
all that night, and till twelve o'clock the
» next
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 305
next day, to fee the cohcludirig proceffibn
of the image of the Virgin Maryv which
certainly was not worth the time we loft.
AH being at laft over, we returned with
much company and mufic, and much in the '
fame manner we came from Seville. As we
were dining the next day under feme trees,
ftill attended by many people^ a. wag was
paffing by quickly on horfeback, who
being afked by fome of the men whither he
was going in fuch hafte, replied, that he
was carrying horns to Seville. The words
were no fooner out of his mouth than away
he galloped, and was in the right to do fo,
as the whole company got up in a rage, and
began pelting him with ftones, fome of
which were near ftriking the fugitive in-
fulter. It is wonderful what an efFe£t the
limple word horns has upon an Andalufian,
and it is faid, that if you cali one a cabron
or goat, nothing can fave your life but
flight. This feems to be fome remains^ of
the old Spanifh jealoufy, for in other coun-
X tries
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3o6 LETTERS FROM
tries people do not attribute fo extraordinary
a force to thefe words, without, indeed^ they
were intend^ as an iiifult bj (he pronottncer
of, them.
I could have made a longer defcription of
this religious merry-making, and of the fire-j
works, and. other entertainments we had,
but imagine you are lick of \t already.
L E-T.
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PORTUGAL,. SPAIN, &c. 307
LETTER XUV,
SEVILLE, JULY 6, I759
X Will now give you fome account of a
little journey I have made to Palroa, not that
any thing remarkable happened in it, but
the fending you tbefe defcriptions affords
me an opportunity of enlarging upon the
cuftoms and manners of the Andalufians
more agreeably, perhaps, than if I was dryly
to tell you them without any narration. In
all cafes you are by bargain to be contented
with what I fend you.
I iet out in company with an Irifii gentle-
man and one Rodrigue:^, who came with us
to take care of the liorfes. We had been
(b long detained upon account of their not
coming at the time appointed, that we
imagined we (hoyld have been broiled alive
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by fetting put fo late. A gentle \vihd, how«
ever, in our faces, mitigated the heat of the
fun till we arrived at the Fcnta or country
Inn where we were to dine, about three
leagues from Seville. A Spanifh league is
four good Englilh miles, fo that wp had
gone at leaft twelve. We here difmounted,
and Rodriguez coududed the horfes into
the ftable, where he gave them plenty of
ftraw to feed upon. They had, likewifeji
fome barley, which here fupplies the place
of oats, but chopt ftraw is the only ex-
change they have for hay. The heat qf
thefe countries is, I imagine, the reafpn they
haye nothing better for their cattle, as all
grafsi is parched up long before this time,
and the country would now afford very lit-
tle green if it were not for the olive trees
and vineyards. But what to me feems par-
ticular is, that, tho* our horfes in England
eat as much hay as they pleafe, befides other
things, and have always clean ftraw to lie
upon, yet they look in general leaner, much
more
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 309
more coarfe grained, and much lefs beauti-
ful than thofe of Spain. Perhaps the cli-
mate, and their Hot willingly making them
Iweat, may be fome affiftancei Not that I
think a fp9rtfman would at all approve of a
Spanifli horfe, as they would make but a
bad figure in the chafe. However^ upon
the whole I can not but allow them to be
very fine animals. The majefticalnefs of
their fhape and gait, added to their great
docility and meeknefs, tho' without want of
fpirit, makes it a pleafure to ride them.
And yet a great many lie only upon their
own dung, and eat little more than ftraw.
In a campaign they would have great advan-
tages over Britiih cavalry, that has been
nurfed up more delicately. There is ano-
' thcr pifoperty the Spaniards cry up in their
horfes, which is that of never kicking.
How true the aflertion may be I know not,
all I am certain of is,^ that I have never {etn
them ftrike, and yet the Spaniards are very fa-
miliar in walking about their heels. If by any
X 3 extra-
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310 LETTERS FROM
Extraordinary chance a horie fhould happen
to lift up his legs, they with great gravity
affirm it td be owing to his being of a baf-
tard race ; for, fay they, no true Spanifli
horfe could ever do fuch a thing. The
•
reafon SpaniOi horfes arc lb little feea out
of the kingdom is, that it is death fer any
^erfbn to attempt to export them without a
particular privilege from the cotirt, which,
I believe; is very hard to obtain. But horfes
are fmuggled into Portugal, as I think I
have already told you that the Spaniards are
reckoned the boldeft in that way of any
nation. But to conclude my equeftrian dif-
fertation, and convey you once more to the
inn our fteeds were then at. It was, indeed,
more calculated for the, reception of fuch
animals, than of human beings ; how^ever,
we got there fome of the beft olives I ever
cat in all my life. With thefe and the pro-
vifion we brought with us, we made out a
very good dinner, and after a gentle fleep
to digeft it, fet out for Carmona, a large
x;ity
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JPORttJGAL, S^AIN, &c. 311
City to which we arrived at fun-fet. Ad
Garmona is fituated upon an eminence^ it is
much cooler than Seville, which ftands in a
hole by the river-fide, like an Englilh town.
To enjoy then a little the freflx air, which
was breathing through the ftreets^ and to
fe6 what fort of a place we were got to, my
friend and I fallied out of our inn, leaving
word with Rodriguez to buy fome eggs, and
get them dreffed for fupper (iileagre fare !)
After we had walked about the city for fome
time, we went out at one of the gates of it,
and fat ourfelves down upon the ridge of
the hill on which Carmona ftands. We
here ftayed fome tin>€ invoking the propitious
gales to arife and fan us.
Aura vehi, peftufque intra gratiffima nodniiii.^
Nor were the gentle gales inattentive to
oUr defire* From the valley beneath uS
fprung up a breeze, which renewed our
fpirits, unbraced before by the too great heat
of the weather. The valley below us might
X 4 be^
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be, I believe, feven or eight Spanifh leagues
in circumference, and was fowed with dif-
ferent kinds of grain, moft part of which
was then reaping, as you will eafily imagine
the harvefts are much forwarder here than
with us. The bufinefs of a reaper in this
climate is furely moft terrible. To ftand
with their faces for fb many hours bent
towards the ground, now burning with the
too powerful rays of the fun, feems enough
to kill any perfon. Some, indeed^ they fay,
in reality drop down dead, and that all
would do the fame, if it was not owing to a
mefs the country people make among them-
felves of garlicky vinegar, and fome other
ingredients, which they hold as a preferva-
tive againft heat.
LET-
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PORTUGAL^ SPAIN, &c. 313
LETTER XLV.
SEVILLE, JULY 9, I759.
JAI O T to keep you any longer at Carmonai
{for the many repetitions of my fare and
inns cannot but be tirefome) I will only tell
you we fet out from it after having pafled a
very bad night upon account of the quantity
of vermin. They are pne of the plagues of
all hot countries, but L think they are worfe
in Spain than Italy, n We are much peftered
here by a fort of gnat, called in England
mufkatoes, from a corruption of the Spanifli
word mofquifos^ which are very venomous
and difagreeable. Juft without the gate of
the town we arrived to a very fteep defcent,
which leads into the valley I mentioujcd in my
laft, and which we were now to crofs. It
w^as, I believe, about two or three leagues
over ; but the h at we fuffered made that^
diftance
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diflance appear double. Haying at leng^
pafied it, and a village called Gampana^ with
which it terminates, we came into a cotatry^
lefs broiling indeed, but much more barren*
It was a fort of ground the Spaniards call
Palmares, upon account of little low thick-*
ets of palms growing all about it, hot much
thicker nor higher, nor very different in re*
femblance, from our fern^brakes in £ngland.
Where thefe heathy plants grow they fay
/that cultivation is of no ufe, as the foil is
naturally unfruitful. This uncomfortable
defert face of the country continued till ^we
came near Palma, where the appearance of
things was a little more fniiling, as at leaft there
was here and there fome cultivation, but ftill
it might be called rather defert, and conti-*
nued fo till we came to the banks of the river
Henil, or as the Spaniards write- it Xenil,
which runs juft under Palma. We were
here obliged to ftay a long time in the burn-
ing fun for a ferry boat, and when we got
up to Palma, which was on fire, if I may
be
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, kc. jij
he allowed the expreffion, were a long time
before we could accommodate ourfelves with
a quarter, or fcparate room. We had no-
thing but the remainder of a ham to 4ine
upon, as no frefli provifion can refift thefe
great heats. After our fate repaft, the heat
tncKned us much to fleep. But to our mif^
fortune, there were no beds, and the ^oor
was fb uncleanably dirty, that we did net
care to lay ourfelves down upon it. The
beft method we thought we could take was
the following* We went into the liable and
cleaned enough of the range of mangers for
us two to lie in. To make our bed the
fofter, we took all the ftraw our horfes
could eat from that time, till our departure^
and laid it under us. As it was already
chopped for confumption, it proved but a
prickly kind of mattrafs, tho' I flept very
found upon it, till an impertinent jack^afs,
drawn, I fuppofe, by the odour of the ftrav^r,
began treating me very roughly with his
fnout. Thus difcompofed I got up, and
was
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was retiring into our room^ when a veiy
droll quarrel between Rodriguez and ano-^
ther man detained noie. This latter was the
mailer of the jaok-afs that had difhirbed
me^ and who had a good many other ani-
mals of the fame fpecies now in the ftable.
The poor beafts^ urged by hunger, for per-
haps they had eaten nothing all that day,
and feeing that our three horfes were plenti*
fully fupplied with barley, which Rodriguez
had juft given^ them^ the poor jack-affet
beholding with invidious eye this cruel dif-
tindion, havingbeen for fome time melancholy
fpeftators of it, could no longer refrain from
intruding, and becoming partakers likewife
of the good fare. Rodriguez feeing their
familiarity, accofted their mafter with a
very civil deportment, and without any
feemingpaffion. " Do you know, fir,'* fays he,
" that if your beafts eat our corn, I fliall cer*
** tainly take up that piece of wood which lies
** there, and knock their brains out ?" To
which the other anfwered, that with regard
to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 317
to that he might do as he pleafed, " but do
** you know, fir/' adds he very civilly likewife,
** that if you do, I may chance afterwards to
** take up the fame piece of wood, and knock
** your brains out too ?** Now eaph began to
fwell, and in all likelihood the bufinefs
would not have blown over without a fray,
had not my friend interpofed his authority,
and ' brought the antagonifts to terms of
peace. Howevet, Rodriguez could not help
grumbling for a long time after. *^ If,*' fays
he, *' the fellow had come and taken my
^* vidluals from me, there would have been
•' nothing in it, or even if his horfes had
^^ eat the provender of my horfes, but that
^* his jack-affes fhpuld come and ferye my
f * horfes fo, is not to be born^.'^
I give you this trifling anecdote as it illuf^
trates a little the pharafter of the common
Andalufians, and indeed there is a ilriking
ref^ipblance bet\yeen many of them and
Sancho
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Sancho Pan^^ .whkh,, however is not at all
wonderful^ as Cervantes drew his piflures
from nature as rauch as any of the characters
in Tom Jones arc drawn.
The morning we had come out Rodriguez
complained much of hungjer, mA told us the
fiice air which tl^en blew had entirely digeft*
ed his laft night's fuppei, thereby archly
hinting to us th^t he had eat no breakfaft at
all that mornings He th^n was as deiirous
of of>ening the wallet he biore upon his horfe
as Sancho was, by t we prevailed upon him to
regain till we pame to the Venta, where \tc
dined«
LET.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 319
3;^ E T T E R XLVI.
SEVILW, JULY 129 I759f
X WILL pafs over what happened to ui
during our ftay at Palma, as the time was
moftly employed in vifiting, feeiijg procef*.
lions mA being regaled with fweetmeats.
One morning, indeed^ we rode out to fee a
little of the country. We went down to*
wards the river Henil, which we^had paffed
'in gomingi and along the fide of which
there are a great number of fruit gardens,
for Pialma f\jrniflies a great part of the
neighbouring country with fruit, which, in-
deed, is the only fort of commerce they
have. Fruit gardens in this country are al-
ways fituated upon the banks of rivers, or
in places where they can have plenty of
water,. as otherwife they would be burnt up
by the fun. They liaye different kinds of
engines
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engines which convey their water in pretty
little neat rills to every part of the garden.
One of them called a noria fecms to be the
cheapeft, moft fimple, and, therefore, the beft
of the kind I ever met with, merely pitchers
fattened to a great perpendicular wheel turned
by a horizontal one. After having been about
a great many of thefe gardens^i gathering the
fruit from the trees as we rode along, (for
none begrudge plumbs, pears, or apples in
this plentiful fruit climate), we went to
another fpot about two miles from where
we then were, to fee the place where the
Henil and Guadalquivir unite their ftreams
and form but one river, which goes on after-
wards by the name of the latter, and under
that denomination proceeds to Seville, and fo
on to the fea at St. Lucar. It was a pretty
place enough^ but the heat begun to be fo
ftrong that we were glad to get to our inn,
which accordingly we did in lefs than an
hour after. ******* **
LET.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 321
LETTER XLVII.
SEVILLE, JULY l6, I759.
i. N my former letter I faid it would be
tirefome to give you an cxaft defcription of
every thing we did at Palma. Let it fuffice
that there we pafled our time in feeing pro-
ceffions and making vifits, for the inhabit-
ants treated us with much civility* As we
refolved in our return to go to Carmona by
diniier, we fat out vpry ^^rly in the morn- '
ing. Our breakfaft was under a tree, with
ournorfes turned to graze^a laEfpanola. We
were much diftrefled for water, which feems
more difficult fometimes to get at in thefe
countries than wine, nor could we find any
till we came to Campana, the village which
ftahds upon the farther edge of the valley of
Carmona* Notwithflanding the hafte we
?^ade, time had run on fo fail that the fun
y wa§.
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jai LETTERS FROM
was burning hot when we entered the low
ground, and to delay us more I found my
horfe wanted a couple of fhoes, fo that we
were forced to go a foot pace cjuite to the
town* In afcending the hill, juft before yqu
arrive at Carmona, the very earth feemed to
fend forth flames ; but at laft we entered the
gate, and foon after the inn, with no finall
joy* As we had now very little provifion
we were obliged to make out our dinner
with eggs, fruit, and other things we could
buy, and our after-dinner's fleep/ being
finilhed, we fet out in the cool of the even-
ing for the defolate inn three leagues from
Seville. Here with no better bed than *
table with my cloak rqund me, I repofed till
fun-rife, when we fet out again and got to
Seville before the heat cpuld much affed us,
Tq fill up my prefent paper, I wiil give
ycu an infcription that is written upon the
gate of ^n hofpital in this town, which I
have literally tranflated from the Spanifh,
Perhaps
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 333
Perhaps you may not underftand it ; how-
ever, it will: ftrongly mark the bigotted ideas
of the nation I am at prefent with* Indeed
I think it a mafter-piece of enthufiafm, and
if ever you have occafion to make any in*
fcription you may extraft the fubftance from
this.
It is as follows.
^* This work of the infirmaries of the
*• hofpital of the holy charity was finifhed
•• with the perfeftion and greatnefs with
*' which they are now feen, in the year of
*^ ourfafety 1674.
*' Our Lord Jefus Chrift being ruler in
** Heaven ; he being high pontiff of the
** church, who is the high prieft according
•* to the order of Melchifedec.
^' He who reigns in Heaven reigning in
** the Spains, his divine majefty being the
*' eldeft brother of this holy houfe, and he
Y z '' who
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f
314 LETTERS PROM
•* who coiyimands in Heaven, being a poo J
** infirm in thefe beds, which were made
♦• at the coft and expence of the moft high
•* God his father, with whom he lives and
^* reigns in unity with the Holy Gl^oft be-
^* yond all ages/'
LET-
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I^ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 2H
LETTER XLVIIL
SEVILLE, jtJLV 26, 1759.
1 SHALL fet out (hortly for Cadiz and
Gibraltar, and am only waiting for a letter
I exped from Lifbon. In the interval I will
give you fome particulars of another little
journey I have made to Cabral*
I fet out with the faine Irifli g;entleman
and in much the fame form as we had done
for Palma* We dined at Carmona, but left
our former road when we had defcended in-
to the valleyi: TKe next morning we aban-
doned a mi^able inn that had houfed uS for
the night an^-got to Ecija, a large city, by a
little after fun*-rife» Our inn ftood juft by
the bridge, and facing it a gigantic fta-
tue of St. Chriftopher. The river run-
ning by the Ecija is the Henil, which I
Y 3 made
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made you acquainted with in my former
journey. This town is (ituated in a hole
with naked hills all round it Ibmething like
Winchefter. It is reckoned the hotteft place
in all Spain, and upon that account is called
the frying-pan of Andalufia.
We were greatly benighted in getting from
Ecija to the folitary hovel which was to re*
ceive us that evenmg. Our beft bed was
upon fome flint ftones, at the door of the
inn in the open air, where we flept for an
hour or two till our horfes had done their
corru Nothing can be a greater proof of the
fincnefs of this climate thau to fee the
people fleeping about on the bare ground
with nothing but the heavens to cover then).
It would be almoft death in England, but in
this very dry country I do not think there is
any thing very unwholefome in it. It is
now feveral months fince we have had a
drop of rain, nor is any expected till to-
wards the month of Odober, when the
heats
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JPORTUGAL> SPAIN, .&c. 317
heats begin to ceafe. There are but very
little dew^ neither, quite the contrary of
Italy, where you may fometimes fee the
evening dew defcending like a fmall rain.
This may be the caufeof many parts in Italy
being fo very unhealthy, that they fay it i*
fatal to fleep a night in them. However as,
iiotwithftanding the drynefs of the air, we
were not very content with our flony couch,
we mounted our horfes as foon as they were
able to proceed, and about three hours after
day break arrived at Cabral.
The country about this place is exceflively
pretty, and refenibles Italy more than Spain^
Hills, wood and water variegate the fcene in
a moft delightful manner, while a rugged
mountain impendent over the toWn adds to
the romanticnefs of the view. Cabral itfelf
is Jike other country towns, tho' cleaner
than moft I have feen in Spain, and it has
the advantage of having little rivulets run-
ning through almoft all the ftreetsi a thing
y 4 very
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very agreeable in this hot climate ; not that
the heat is fo oppreffive here as in Seville,
the neighbourhood of a very mountainous
country towards Grenada rendering the air
much frelher. Our time paffed as at Palma,
in viiiting and feeing the country. A canon
of Grenada was our principal conduftor. He
one evening carried us to one of the prettieft
water-falls I ever faw, where we fat down on
the grafs and entertained ourfelves w ith the
agreeablenefs of the place, till the fun had
verged pretty near to the horizon. We then
began walking on afrefh, and went to the
foot of the mountain impending over Cabrah
From a cleft in it iflued two pretty little cool
rivulets, which afterwards unite their
ftreams and form a fmall river, called by the
name of the town, till it lofes both itfelf
and denomination ii\ the Henil. Under th«
fhadow of this mountain and ftraggling
along the fides of the rivulets, whofe banks
were of living rock, fat a number of gen-
tlemen and ladies enjoying the/refco this de-
licious
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PORTUGAL SPAIN, &ۥ 329
licious place afforded. ' As we were dry we
went to the opening whence one of the
ftreams broke forth from the heart of the
mountahi, and having borrowed a glafs of
one of the gentlemen, drank plentifully of
the refrefhhig liquor, as it was not inferior
in coolnefs to that tempered by fnow in
houfes, nor in fweetnefs to the fineft water
you ever tafted. You may wonder to hear
me talk fo delicioufly, and fb mxich in praife
of a beverage rarely ufed by the fubjefts of
Great Britain, but the Spaniards drink very
little of any thing elfe, and, indeed, heat
certainly renders every ftrong liquid difagree-
able. We fupped that night with the canon,
where an old maid fervant, who, I fuppofe,
had never ftirred out of the place, pleafed
me mightily. She feemed very much fur-»
prized at the bad Spanifh I talked, and not
being able to contain herfelf any longer,
** What!" exclaims {he, *^ and don't they talk
*^ the fame there * as here V The] innocence
with
* Alia corflo aq\u.
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with which fhe faid this added a particular
grace to her ignorance, and upon ouranfwering
her that there they talked a quite difierent
language from what they did here^ Ihe broke
out into an exclamation of wonder at the
odd things which happen in this world. Our
fupper being finiihed with the canon, we
retired to our inn, not without cafting ^n
envious eye upon a large mat which lay in his
room, and which would have proved a much
better bed than thofe we were to expe^.
LET.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. jjt
LETTER XLIX.
SEVILLE, 4UGUST 5, 1759.
X WILL conclude my Cabral expedition
in a few lines, not to tire you with repetitions.
The reft of our time was fpent much in the
fame manner as what I have defcribed. At
laft fetting out in the evening and baiting at
our old hovel, where I had lain upon the
flints, we got in very good time to Ecija the
next morning. We again fet out from
thence towards the evening, not for Carmo-
na, the road we came, but for Marchena,
which we knew was a fliorter way, and the
people of the inn at Ecija afliired us we could
not miftake it. We did not, however, ar-
rive there without many perils and dangers
of roads and robbers. The following' morn-
ing after an eaiy ride we arrived at Seville
in good time.
I have
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I have been this morning to fee a giant^
who has exhibited himlelf to a gfeat part of
Europe. He is furptifingly tall, I d^re not
fay how much, but withal feems equally
weak and unhappy. I did not know the
difficulties of a giant traveller till he re-
counted them to me. No bed to lie in biit
out of which your feet extend a confiderable
way. No coach to ride in, but where you
are obliged to fit bent double. Wearied with
the pofture, he was forced at times to take a
little walk on foot, to the utter aftonifhment
of the Spanifli countrymen wto met him,
ind fell proftrate in adoration of what they
thought St. Chriftopher. Coming one fefti-
val day to a country village, he attended high
tnafs, after which there was a fermon. The
preacher, who had not obferved him when he
mounted the pulpit, is faid to have no fboner
caft his eyes upon this monftrous figure,
then ftruck with amazement, he flopped
fliort, funk down, and was heard to repeat
ejaculations at the bottom of his pulpit. But
tho^
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. S3J
tho' this amazing man caijfes terror to the
vulgar, 1 felt myfelf touched with much
compaffion towards him, and the more fo as
he has fold himfelf for three years to the
perfon who condudls him, and who hurries
him about that he may make thie more mo-
ney. His gains, however, have beeii. leffen-
edhere at Seyille'by the magiftrates obliging
his gigantic ward to go and hear mafs, not-
withftanding t\\e reprefentations tha^ >vere
made of the great lofs it would be, if ,he was
feen publicly at church? But the divjnes
have determined that he is rather more than
lefs of a chriftian by being a giant, and is,
tljerefore, at leaft equally obliged with all
other cathplics to attend the duties of the
church. A m^^fs, however, is prepared for
him very early in the ii;iorning on holy days,
l^ut it does not prevent many people fron^
getting up and feeing him gratis*
I intend next week to leave Seville and
my friends here, who are moftly Irifli, fled,
as
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as they cxprcfs it, firom the tyrannical go-
venuneat of England. Whether their com-
plsunts are jufl or no, I cannot fay, hovr^
ever, they tell yon that all their offices are
given away to the Englifli, whofe only merit
is a fervile flattery to courtiers. They com-
plain likewife greatly of perfecution with
regard to religion, tho' I Ihould think with'
out juftice. The law that no Roman catho-
lic can ferve in any public capacity is by
them cried down as impolitic. What num-
bers, fay they, of our countrymen who now
ferve France and Spain and other foreign na-
tions, would have devoted themfelves to the
defence of their native country, if the rigor
of the laws had not hindered perfbns of
their perluafion from being employed under
the Britifli government. They likewiie
complain of not being allowed to wear
fwords, or ride a horfe of above five pounds
value, laws which they fay are p\xt into exe-
cution.
This
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c; 33f
This is what they complain of, which I
leave you to interpret as you think beft. One
or two Englifhmen there are among them,
but as they are Irijhified I fhall not diftinguiih
them frpm the fame clafs.
LET.
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4- E T T E R Lr
SEVILLE, AUQUST l6, I759,
Jl S H a I^ L not leave Seville till the 20th,
and have nothing elfe at prefent to inform
vou of, but that the vice-cojiful who accom-r
panie4 me to the Rocio died ^efterday nciornr
ing and was buried this. K[is death is attri-?
jjuted to the having m^^de a journey this very
hot weather to fome quickfilver piines therg
are in this country. They are reckoned very
lioxious, and might be rendered ftill worie
\>y tht prefent heat of the fun, which a fea-
captain declared to me yefterday was more
furious than in Jamaica. Thefe mines are
fo p^ftilential that no perfon, they fay, is
fcnt to work in them except condemned
people, who feldom reiift above a couple of
years. But whatever was the caufe of the
yice^confyrs 4eath, he certainly is no. more,
fpf
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j^or I was this morning at his burial. Hii
corps I could not fee, for tho' it was expofed^
there was fuch a ftench ifluing from it; that
none could approach it, aiid yet he had been
dead only four and twenty hours. A fign of
the great heat of this country. But tho' it
creates putrefadion eafily, it foon draws up
the noxious effluvia of it, ' and the bodies of
dead dogs and cats> which are thrown pkft-
tifuliy into the ftreets^ are Hot ofFenfive the
day after their being expofed, except to the
eyes of the paflengers. All the Irifh attend-
ed the vice^confurs funeral, and formed a
long proceffion, for he was a Roman catho-
lic. But why fhould I talk to you of bu-
rials ? You might like better, perhaps, that
I fhould fpeak of life* ,1 will do fo, and give
you a remarkable example of it in a man
formerly of Seville, jind fo conclude my
paper*
** Don Juan Remirez d^ Buflamente, na-
** tive of this city, lived to the age of one
Z *' hundred
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** huudred and twenty-one years. He was
** married five times, and by his wives had
" forty-two children, and by other womea
^* nine. He was a great failor, and knew
*• {cvtn Indian languages. At the age of
** ninety-nine years he was ordained prieftt
*' and always faid mafs, and affifted in the
** quire of the parifli church of St. Loren-
** zo till his death, which was occaiioned
** by a fall. He was buried in the fame
** church, the 30th of September i678.'*
LET-
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I^ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 329
L E "f T' E R LI.
^SEVILLE, AUGUST 19, lj$^*
L THINK 1 can give you nothing niore
ntertainiiig for this paper than an extract
rom the Madrid gazette^
*' Madrid, i4ttL Auguft, 1759. On Friday
* the lothof this month, at a quarter after
* four in the morning, the ills of our be-
* loved fovereign Don Ferdinand the fixth
* had their indifpehfible term, and his no-
* torious virtues obtained their everlafting
' reward. After having made a proper ufe
' of a happy interval of eafe which the di-
^ vine clemency granted him, this moft pi-
* ous monarch died in the arms, and affifted
* with^the fpiritual attendance of the arch-
* biftiop inquifitor-general, of the bifliop
* of Palencia, of the palace curate Don
Z 2 " Jofeph
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** Jofeph de Rada, and of Don Francifco
** de Barcena, chaplain of honor to his majefty
*' in the palace of Villaviciofa belonging to
** the moft ferene infant duke of Parma his
*' brother, as count of Chinchon. He con-
*' fefled himfelf much to the fatisfadion of
^* the before-mentioned Don Jofeph de Ra-
*• da, who adminiftered that facrament to
** him, and when nearer his death that of
•* the extreme unftion, as did the archbi-
•* (hop of Laodicea, nuncio to his holinefs,
" the abfolution and papal benediction the
" evening of his majefty's failing. He died
^* at forty-five years of age, ten months and
** nine days, after a reign of thirteen years,
** one month and a day, and the fame day
*• in which he was proclaimed in the year
" 1 746. The tears fhed by his vaffals for
*' his painful and long infirmity will make
*' the bcft eulogium of our deceafed fovereign,
'* as well as their vows and prayers, with
** which they have inceffantly fupplicated
** his re-eftabliihment of heaven, as alio the
•* patience
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 341
** patience with which they have borne the
*' fufpenfion of near a year in governnaent,
*' without the leaft diforder or inquietude,
and with a refpeft and love of juftice only
to be hoped for from the fidelity of this
** nation* His reign will be rendered equally
♦* glorious by the eafe and tranquillity, which
•* his people have enjoyed during the courfe
** of it (to the no fmall praife of his truly
♦* pious heart, fince having inherited the
*' crown in war, he rcfted not till he poffef-
** fed it in peace), as alfo by fo wife a con-
^ du£l, that neither the hazards, in which the
cruel perturbations fufFered by the neigh-
bouring powers with whom Spain is nioft
** connected in intereft, threw him, nor the
^* flattering confiderations which might have
** offered, made him in the leaft fwerve from
*^ his maxim, that peace is the greateft good to
^' a nation, and that the monarch really glo-
*' rious is he who procures it, taking care at
^' the. fame tinxe with worthy interior provi-
Z 3 *• dencd
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34* LETTERS FROM
** dence that his vaflals do not abufe the ad-»
•* vantages which attend repofe.
^* Immediately after the death of our fo^
^^ vereign Don Ferdinand the lixth, couriers
^* were difpatched with the news of it, not
" lefs important than melancholy, to our
** prefent fovereign I)on Carlos the third,
^' king of the two Sicilies, and t-o the queen
** mother, fovereign regent of thefe king-
^' doms, till the arrival of her fon, as well
•* by anticipated powei^ from his Sicilian
** majefty, as by the laft difpofition of the
*^ deceafed king, and alfo, if there were oo-
*' cafion, by the general acclamation of thoie
^* who cannot forget the part (he afted in
** the glorious reign of our late king Don
♦* Philip the fifth her royal confort. O hap-
*' py. nation ! for whom the Omnipotent in
depriving them of fo glorious a matter,
had prepared the confolation of another
** not lefs illuftrious, nor lefs a lover of his
** country, and even of greater experience
« in
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, tec. 343
•' in the arts of government (a good fortune
^' to which monarchies are not accuftomed)
•* and during his abfence, of the regent
♦^ moft capable of fupplying his place in the
•^ direction of affairs, and who, as his mo-
** ther, is beft adapted to alleviate that anxi-
*• cty^ with which it is natural his vaflals
^* fhould defire the light of their fove-
'' reign.**
Seville, 20th Auguft. This evening I
leave Seville, and reckon to be at Port St.
Mary's to-morrow morning early, as I go
by Diligenzia, to ufe a Spanifli expreffion,
that is, I pay fomething extraordinary to
travel ^all night, and a pretty good trot,
otherwife I fhould have gone only a foot
pace, and been, perhaps, two days upon the
road. One of the great advantages of go-
ing in this manner is the travelling all by
night, except, indeed, a littl? in the even-
ing and morning, by which means you
avoid being broik^ alive in the very violent
Z 4 f^A
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fun of thcfe countries. They have no poft
horfes in the fouthem parts of Spain, but
ifor couriers on horfe-back. My next paper
then will, probably, be ^ired^d to you from
Port St. Mary's,
LET-
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 34^
LETTER LIL
PORT ST. MARY's, AUG. Za, 1759,
Upon my arrival at this place I have;
found great nev^s, which I think I cannot
pleafe you better than by fending you.
Extrafl: of a letter from Gibraltarj^ without
I date.
" The Gibraltar frigate appeared off this
^* port the 1 6th inftant, firing guns ^nd
^' making falfe fires. This happened after
^^ feven in the evening. Some time after
^^ Ihe came into the bay to fpeak with
^* admiral Bpfcawen, who being informed
^^ by the captain that a fleet was off Ceuta
♦' Point, confifting of fifteen fail, ordered
^* all his Ihips to flip and chafe, which they
*^ performed with fuch furprifing celerity,
" that
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•^ that by ten they Were all under way,
** tho* not a fail was bent before, which it
^* muft be owned was unlucky. Since their
*^ departure the only intelligence we have
^^ received is what you fent exprefs; It
^* afibrded univerfal joy here, as every body
^^ imagines Bofcawen h^s fallen in with the
^' {even fhips that feparated^ ^nd had not ^
(he time you wrote joined thofe sirrived iji
the bay of Bulls. My coufin lay on
** board the Intrepid that night, and as I
*' have not feen or heard of him fince^i I
fuppofe he chofe to embrace an opportu-
nity that he never, perhaps, could fee
*' again, of being an pcylar witnefs of Bri-
** ti(h bravery. I hope fopn to congratulate
•' you upon our fuccefs, and to advife you
^* in my qext that (his bay is, decorated witji
** fevcn French men of war.*'
Extradl of a letter from Cadiz without a
date, which I have tranilated from the
Spanifli,
'' We
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PORTtTGAL, SPAIN, &c. 347
*' We have the pleafure of reading in the
journal or naval diary of a Spanifli ihlp
juft arrived into the bay; that admiral
Bofcawen came . up with M, la Clue'?
fquadron at one o'clock in the day time
on the 1 7th inftanti\fifteen leagues to the
fouth of Cape St. Mary'g. That the
firing began at the fame hour, and con-
tinued till feven at night, when the Spa-
nifli captain loft fight of them/ He fays
the fire was moft terrible ; that there was
one fhip entirely difmafted, apd many
others very badly treated ; that he knew
of nothing more, having loft fight of
them at the before mentioned time ;
however, we may coUeft from hence that
the French have been all taken or de*
ftroyed. I will give you more particulars
in the eyening, when the Spanifli fliip
will he quite come into port. CompliT
ments to the conful, &c.
Extra(S^
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54t LETTERS FROM
Extrad of A letter from the faipe
man.
** Cadiz, Auguft 22, 1759- This m-
^* ment are arrived in a Portuguefe boattwi
^^ French officers belonging to the %i
^* dr<»i which was commanded by M. i
^* Clue, one of whom is wounded. Tk
** gpve a full account of the late battle c
♦* the feventeenth, in which the Freac:
** admiral and rear admirals ihips n^
** burnt, three of feventy guns takea
^ and they imagine the two Qthers to
♦• efgaped. In the evening I will write wla
** elfe occurs, Jkc.
*^ P. S. The Englifli (hips fuffered k^
^* little. ^
An Englifli gentlemen here has juftheai
from a French captain, that Bofcaweu k
blown up two ihips, funk twoj^ and tb
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PORTUGAL, SIXAIN, fee. J4^
two others have run themfelves on Ihoreoii
the coaft of Spain, and one efcaped.
This is all I have been able to coUeft you
of thefe good news, which have rejoiced us
very much, and made the remaining part of la
Clue's fquadron now in th^ bay of Cadiz look
very dejefted. There are three fhips of the
line and five frigates. In all likelihood their
departure from, hence will not be very foon>
as our fleet will keep a good watch over
thenx, and till the coaft is clear I dare fay
they will riot venture out.
——We do not know whether la Clue Is
alive or dead.
I muft now tell you an efcape I think I
had in my journey from Seville to this place.
You know we were to travel all night, and
in the middle of it my fervant and I were
trotting quietly on in the calache, or two
Wheeled chaife, through a wide extended^
flat,
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fla(, faid to be overflowed by the Guadalqui-^
vir Of Betis during the winter feafon. The
poftilion had a dog who ran by the* fide o£
the mules, who all on a fudden began
to bark, tho' we faw no objedl to excite his
attention. We, grafped, however, our pif-
tols, and (hortly after three ihen rofe from
off the ground, on which they had been
lying proftrate in dark coloured jackets^
hardly diftinguifliable from the earth itfelf.
Two came to the right hand fide of the?
chaife, where I was fittings and one to the
left ; for though my fefvant declares he faw
four, and the poftilion five, I diftingtiilhed
no more than I mention. They let us>
however, pafs, which I attribute to their
feeing the piftols ; for tho* it was night, I
dare fay the bright gleam of Englifh fteel
might have ftruck their eyes. Be it as it
may, the chaife palled unmolefted, but no
fooner Were we gone by than they began
running after us. The poftilion, who muft
be. an honeft fellow, put his mules upon a
gallop.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN^ &c. 3^1
gallop. I held a piftol out at the window
behind, which there is in moft foreign car-*
riages^ but, tho' both my fervant and the
poftilion urged me to fire, I refolved not to
do it till one* of the aiiailants touched the
chaife, that I might make Cure of him*
After running, however, perhaps a hundred
yards, they flopped, and we heard no more
of them.
let:
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352 LETTERS FR6M
LETTER LIII.
PORT ST. mart's^ AUG. 319 iys9'
X Will ndw ^ve j^ou the beft account I can
of the affair between the French fleet from
Toulon and that under admiral Bofcaweo^ I
had it from the vice conful of Cadiz, who
being at Gibraltar at the tiiiie of the Aeet^s
fetting fail from thence, out of curio^t/
Went with them on board the Intrepid, to be
an ocular witnefs of Englifh bravely.
The French fleet, corififting of ten fhipJ
of the liiie and five frigates, failed out of
Toulon with an intention, as fome imagine,
of going to Brefl and efcaping, if poffible,
Bofcawen at Gibraltar. People differ, how-
ever, very much in their opinions about their
deftination, I have heard that the French
themfelves profefs to have been going to
Martir
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 353
Martinico. I wonder indeed they make fo
much a fecret of an expedition, which as it
feems entirely fruftrated, the concealing it
can hardly now be of any fervice. But
wherever they were bound, they arrived at
the ftreights of Gibraltar the fixteenth of this
month, and lay to till towards night, when
they intended to pafs through the Gut. The
night was very dark, and I fuppofe they had
choferi purpofely for pafling the ftreights a
time when there was no moon. About an
hour after fun-fet they arrived at Ceuta point.
The Gibraltar frigate, who was then . cruifing
in the ftreights, perceived them, and imme-
diately directed her courfe to Gibraltar bay,
upon her entering which, (he began firing
guns and making' falfe fires without end. I
need aot tell you falfe fires are a fort of roc-
kets, intended for giving fignals, and which
they whirl about in their hands. Bofcaweix
at laft perceived her. He was then on bpard
the Namur, but had dined in Spain that day,
and if I miftake not with Bucareli the com-
A a mander
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354 LETTERS FROM
mander of the Spanifli camp near Gibraltar,
for the Spaniards have formed luies there,
and keep a conftant guard upon us. But
wherever he dined, with Bucareli or the
Commiffioner *, he was certainly on board
before the Gibraltar made her fignals, tho'
calumny has faid the contrary. Indeed I
hear he always fleeps on board, and obliges
all the captains to do the fame, in fhort,
keeps a very good and ftrict difcipline
throughout the whole fleet. Upon the Gi-
braltar's fignals he immediately ordered the
fleet to fail. Surprifing, fays the gentleman
I had this account from, was the Jiafte with
which every thing was got ready. Tho*
three fhips had their foils unbent, that is not
put up to the yards, yet in two hours time
they were all out of port and upon their way,
for it was towards eight o^clock whea the
Gibraltar made her fignals, and by ten they
were at lea. Bofcawen's and fome other
(hips were out even befpre, but the Avholc
fleet was under fail by that time. A Spa-
niard
ffc dined with the Comroifl^oi^er.
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 355
niard who was at Gibraltar compared the
confufion of the town to a hell upon earth*
Nor were the land officers wanting in their .
jokes upon the Englifh navy in having let
the French fleet flip by. The French too,
who had now paffed the Gut, and thought
themfelves fecure frona being attacked, were
ihewing their wit at our expence, as was
known afterwards. In one of the (hips they
drew a figure of admiral Bofcaw'en ftanding
upon the top of the hill at Gibraltar, with a
great pair of fpedacles upon a nofe which
reached quite over to Ape's-hill, the ancient
mount Abila in.Barbary, while the French
were failing under it. That divifion too of
their fleet which came in here, as they did
not imagine their companions were fb clofely
purfued, were not without th^ir fneers. Ma
foi, faya one of them to an Englifhman, al-
luding to poor Byng*s affair, , /7 faut pendre
Mr. Bofcawen^ with many other things of
X. this nature. In the mean tirne Bofcawcn in
A a 2 the
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the Namur led the way to the reft of the
fleet, following however the Gibraltar frigate,
who the moment (he had perceived her fig-
nals were' underftood at Gibraltar, had hung
out all her lights, and followed the track of
the (hips (he had feen pafs by, always keep-
ing Bofcawen in fight, who had hung out all
his lights too, and kept following her as the
reft of the fleet did him. In this pofition
ftood the chafe all that night. It blew frefh,
which you know is a failor's expreflion for a
ftorm. My friend, who wa& on board the
Intrepid, fays not a word was to be heard
on board their (hip, except from time to time
the quarter mafter (inging out the word
^* fteady, " which is the term yfed by our
mariners, wheo the (hip goes before the
wind,
Indeed I muft take this opportunity of
making an excufe for entering into the de-
fcription of an affair, which J am by no means
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 357
capable of painting properly, from my being
entirely ignorant of fea phrafes. But as I
am no failor, any blunder of that kind will
be excufable.
Aaj LET-
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3si LETTERS FROM
LETTER LIV.
PORT ST. mary's, august 29, 1759»
X H E chafe after the French fleet con-
tinued all night in, the manner I have de-
fcribed it to you in my laft paper, and in the
morning feven fhips were difcovered as far
off as they could fee. Tho* feven feemed too
fmall a number for a French fleet, and tho'
it was very probable they might belong to
that of the Spaniards now in Cadiz, yet we
continued chafing with all the fail poffible.
The captain of the Shannon frigate, who is
now at Cadiz, faj^s, for his part, bethought
he and his crew fhould have been all ftarved,
for he was going to lay up to be cleaned at
Gibraltar when the French pafled, and fet-
ting fail fo unexpeftedly, he had only five
days provifion on board. If the chafe had
contiau^d ' for fome day $ nobody, undoubt*
edly,
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. SS9
edly, would have ftopt to vi£tual bis (hip,
and he and his crew muft have made the
beft fhift they could. Indeed he might have '
left: the chafe and gone into fbme port, but
every perfon had too much ardor to do that^
and the whole fleet feemed infpired by one
foul ^o get on as faft as they could. The
firft were the^ Namur, the Swiftfure^ the
Warfpite, the GuUoden, the America,
the Newark, and the Intrepid. They
got up with the French at one o'clock
in the afternoon. They had known them to
be fuch a good many hours before, by the
things they had thrown out of their fhips*
You know all fhips are obliged to clear away
their lumber before an engagement. The
French threw out a prodigious number of
things. Fine pieces of carved furniture were
leen floating about the fea. " G-— d d — n
** them,** fays a failor on board the Intrepid,
^* thofe fhips are French, L know them by
** their* fine guts.*' No perfon any longer doubt-
ing who they were^ every, art was put in
A a 4 pradlice
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pradice to get up with them, which, as I
before told you, they did at one oVlock in the
afternoon. It was certainly very furprifing
how the EngliQi fleet could come up with
the French fo foon, for the French veffels in
general are reckoned better failers, and they
were juft come out of port, whereas ours
were very fouL Now to come up with them
at one o'clock when they were only juft vilible
in the morning, is moft amazing, nor is there
any way of accounting * for it but from the
French fleet's feparation, and thinking us
their companions, which wa^ certainly a
lucky thing. The caufe of this divifion
feems to be but very lamely explained by the
French, and in very different manners, a
fort of proof that none of them are true.
Some fay that in the night time in coming,
out of the ftreights, the part of the fquadroii
which entered Cadiz heard a couple of guns
♦ Our Englilh oflfccrs attribute it entirely to the wind,
which they fay blew f reih near the fhose^ but had died
away farther out at fea.
which
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 361
which was their admiral's fignal for (lacken-
ing fail, but which Canfte from the Englilh
fleet, fo that they 'confounded one with the
other, and towards thei mornings finding
themfelves alone, they put intoCadiz. Others
fay that a ftorm Separated them juft as they
came out of the Guty and that opening their
fealed orders to be confultedon fuch an occa*
fion, they found that, in cafe of feparation
near the ftreights, they were to go to Cadiz,
which they accordingly did. But in whatever
manner they divided, it could hardly be vo-
luntary, for never was a fleet fplit in that
manner, and all the great and befl: (hips with
the admirals and other chief oflSicers in one
divifion, and in the other all the frigates, and
the three fmalleft (hips of the line, with
only a chance commander* But this is what
the French muft explain if they can. Now
we imagine that La Clue and his feven great
(hips, when he faw us, thought us to be the
reft of his fquadron, and flackened fail for
lis to get up with him* What renders this
more
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more likely is, that the feven before-men-
tioned fhips of Bofcawen were the only ones
that were in fight for a long time, fo that
the French might eafily imagine it was the
remainder of their fleet with one fliip want-
ing by fome accident or other^ for the divifion
at Cadiz confifts pf eight, three veflels of
the line and five frigates, as I have told you.
La Clue, however, when he perceived his
error began to prepare for the engagement
with ail the fpeed he could, failing on,
while he prepared, as faft as his fhips would
go, in hopes flill of getting away from us,
but it was then too late, as the high wind
which blew affifled our heavy fhips, and en-
abled them to keep on fleadier and carry
more fail, with other advantages enjoyed by
us in a greater degree than by the French.
Our fleet being at length come up, hoflilities
began, of which it would be dull to give
you the very minute account my friend did
me. However in my next paper I will tell
you fome of the principal circumflances, for
to
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN; &c. 363
to fay the truth, I heard fo much about the
engagement, and people aiked him fo riiany
queftions at a time, that every thing is quite
confufed in my head.
LET-
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y^ LETTERS F&OM
LETTER LV.
fORT ST. MARY's, SEPT. 2s I759«
W HILE the remains of our fleet came
lagging behind, Bofcawen's fhip the Namur
attacked the Ocean, which was that of the
French admiral. It is faid he would have
taken her that evening, but an unlucky ihot
brought his fore or mizen maft, I do not
know which,. by the board. Immediately
the French gave three fhouts, and made the
air ring again with vhe le rcy. Bofcawen
finding his fliip rendered unfit for command,
took down his flag, got into his barge, and
went on board the Newark, which ftood next
him. The fea was ftill rmghtjh^ notwith-
ftanding the firing of the cannon in an en-
gagement generally lays the waves. The
Englifli greatly complain againfl: the French
for aiming at the admiral like a bird, as he
pafled
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 365
paffed from one (hip to the other, which it
ieems is contrary to the rules of wan But
Bofcawcn was foon on board the Newark^
where he hoifted his flag, and the battle
went on as brifk as ever. At laft, night ap*
proached and favoured the French, who
feemed to have no other idea than that of
failing off as faft as they could. Nay, even
when the Ocean difmafted the Nainur, after
the three cheers away fhe went, but was in-
tercepted by fome others of our fliips. And
now under favor of the night they all
crouded as much fail as poflible and drove on
before the wind. We followed them as
well as the great darknefs of the weather
would permit. The Centavir, indeed, had
ilruck the evening before, but ftill there re*
mained fix others. Jn the morning, however^
four only were to be feen anchored uhder
the coaft of Portugal, which they had made
in the night. The two others, .which were
the Guerrier an4 Sovereign^ had dif^ppeared,
nof
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Bor to this day is there any certain account
what has become of them. They may have
got toLi{bon* the neareft port^ and we not
have heard of it yet, but many, nay even the
French thcmfelves, are apt to think they
went to the bottom, as they certainly were
much (battered in the engagement. Admiral
Bofcawen, however, has fent two (hips af- .
ter them, which, if they are to be founds
will, I dare fay, give a good account of
them. But to return to the four French .
(hips at anchpr. Finding themfelves fre(hly
attacked by Bofcawen, the Modefte and Te-
meraire after' a fmall refiftance ftruck, but
the Ocean and Redoubtable cut away their
anchors and run on (hore. ^* Look what
'* cowardly d — gs they are,*' fays one of the
failors, who faw the Ocean driving on (hore,
and he had hardly pronounced the words,
when (he ftruck again(): the ground, the
^ ♦ After ft tedioys voyage they at laft got into La Ro-
iclie}le in France.
(hock
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 3^7
(hoek of which brought every one of her
mafts by the boajrd. The greatefl part of th^
officers and failors, as well of the Ocean as the
Redoubtable, by getting into their boats and
rowing brifkly efcaped being made prifoners^
I think, however, we took out about one
hundred and fifty, the greateft part of them
wounded, when we went on board the
Ocean to fet fire to her, which fame fate
was fliared by the Redoubtable, and they*
fay when the latter blew up (he made a moft
terrible explofioij. She (hook the very fea
under all our (hips. The powder on board
the Ocean had got wet, as (he had bulged in
ilriking upon the (hore. In this veflTel there
were two or three millipns of livres (at leaft
fo it is reported) which in the hurry and
confufion were not found. The failors,
however, got fome long ruffled (hirts, which
they afterwards put on and looked very ridi-?
culous. During the fmall refiftance thefc
(hips made in the morning, a little Portu-*
guefe fprt near whiqh the combatants thea
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were, fired upon both, to fhew them, I fup-
pofe, that they were under the king of Por-
tugal's protedion, but whether by chance of
purpofely, a broadfide from one of our ihip^
laid it flat to the ground. Thefe are the
principal circumftapces I have been able tp
collect concerning this action, fome parts of
which the French, who have fought refuge
at Cadiz, fet in a very different light. They
fay the Engliih burnt the one hundred and
fifty men alive in the Ocean, th,at the whole
fleet came up with their {hjps and that they
made a moft aftonifliing refiftance. *^ Did
** not fuch a man," fays a paffionate French^
man, who was expofing hirafelf in a co&e«
houfe at Cadiz, ** did not he continue fight-
•^ ing to the laft, tho' he had an arm ihot
^* off? Such another, did not he do the faipQ
'* without any legs ?" I do not know who*
ther he did not fay a man came upon deck
and fought without a head. However the
Engliih agree that monfieur de Chabranc,
captain of the Centaur, who is now at Gibr
faltar.
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I^ORTUGaU SPAI-N, &c. 369
taltar, behaved with the moft remarkable
braveify ; but if we are to believe the French
every common man was equal to^ a captain ^
and the captains themfelves fomething more
than mortaL
B b LET,
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370 LETTERS FROM
LETTER LVI.
PORT ST. MARY's, SEPT. 5, 1 759.
-Admiral Bofcawen's vi&ory over the
feven ihips being now compleat, having
taken or deftroyed all of them except the
two which I have already informed you
difappeared in the night time, feparated his
fleet into two divifions, his and that of Ad-
miral Broderick, and went in queft of the
remainder of the French fleet ; I mean the
eight (hips which put into Cadiz, not the
two which efcaped by favor of the night*
The exaft number of them he did not know,
nor where they were gone, but that there
were more belonging to the feven he had to
do with was undoubted. As for the two
that efcaped in the night, the Sovereign and
Guerrier, two veflels were, as I faid^ dif-
patched after them, which, if I miftake not,
fleered
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN3 &c. ,371
fteered towards Lifbon ; and we have a cur-
rent report here of the former being taken.
It is reckoned a very particular circumftance
that thofe Ihips fhould get fo entirely out of
fight as not to have the leaft glimpfe of
them vifible in the morning. And it is this
makes fome people imagine that one, if not
both, may have gone to the bottom, and to
ftrengthen this idea, my friend fays, that
the night after the engagement, while they
were chafing (he four fliips, fingle guns like
thofe of difi:refs were heard at a difi:ance.
But time will inform us of the truth of
every thing. The French who efcaped in
their boats from the Ocean and Redoubtable,
and were about two thoufand, got to Lagos,
th? neareft little town upon the coafl: of
Portugal.' They give a difmal account of
this place, and of the terrible fituation of
Mr. la Clue, there, wounded, and without
any of the conveniences a man in his con-
dition requires. They fay that one day two
louis d'ors were given to buy a patridge to
B b z make
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f^^ LETTERS FROM
make him fome broth. The Frfench com-
plain, likewife, greatly againft the Portuguefe
for denying common coarfe provifions to the
failors, but I think the excufe the latter give
is very fatisfaftory, that they have it not.
Indeed, an Englifti gentleman, who has been
there, fays he could hardly find viftuals in
Lagos for himfelf and his companion, much
iefs can it be done for two thoufand people.
However, I believe the greateft part of them
are now come to Cadiz, at leaft, of thofe
tvho are not wounded. I myfelf faw two
open boats of them come in, for thofe were
the beft conveyances they could get, who
but a few days before were mafters of the
Ocean and Redoubtable. Some of the poor
fellows were moft miferably dreft, nor did
any thing of finery remain to hardly any of
them, except the hat and feather, the all
in all of a French officer. Some of the
wounded when they are well enough to
change place, are, they fay, to be quartered
here at Port St. Mary's, in a fort of hofpita-
hifed
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 373
hired for that purpofe. Many of thofe that
are well are already fet out for Malaga,^
where they hope to find an embarkation for
France, if not, to go by land to Barcelona.
As for La Clue, we are not only uncertain
where he is at prefent, but in what manner
lie is wounded. We were firft of all told
that both his legs were carried off — we then-
funk it to one, and now they fay he has
loft neither, but that he has them very
much Jracajfees^ with the calf of one gone.
It is reported they have carried him from
Lagos to St. Lucar^ and that they intend
to bring him here as foon as poflible. I
need not tell you that Admiral Bofcawen
was fcratched with fplinters all about his
face and body without any dangerous wound,
for I believe he may* be in England before
m^y letter, as there is a frefli report that he
is gone there with his divifion, but how
true I know not ; for one moment the peo-
ple fay one thing, and the next they con*
tradid it. I ihould imagine, however, thaj
B b 3 upon
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374 LETTERS FROM
upon hearing the remainder of the French
fleet is in Cadiz harbour, he will fend fome
of his (hips to watch them. He has dif-
patched the Edgar, the Centaur prize, and
two or three other (hips that were in the
battle to Gibraltar. The Temeraire and
Modefte, which were taken, are faid to be
fo little damaged, that they are cniifing
with Broderick.
Tho* the Frenchmen, with which Cadiz
now fwarms, are creft-fallen, yet at the
/ame time they are very impertinent. In
their turn, however, they fufFer many infults
from the common Spaniards, who you know
hate them, tho* the government of late
years has been in the hands of the Bourbon
family. Coming in a public boat the other
day from Cadiz to Port St Mary*s, as we
were going along fide a French veflel, the
boatman hollowed out in broken Englift,
** how do you do, firs ? " and I hear it is a
common practice with the watermen to teazc
' tb^w
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 375
them in this manner* Indeed, they deferve
k, for the young officers are moft unfufFera-
ble. They will hav« an opportunity, how-
ever, of cooling their blood in the port of
Cadiz, for I do not believe they wHl move
from thence till the war is over. The
Spaniards in joke advife them to fell their
ihips to the king of Spain. They wanted
to go out the other day under convoy of
Navarro's fleet, the Spanifti admiral, who
is gone to Naples to fetch the new king or
queen of Spain, of both* It was, as you
may imagine, refufed them. ^They next -
defired him to take at leaft fome of their
men on board, and fet them down in the
neareft port they <}ould to France, but that
was not granted neither. I flatter myfelf
that we (hall now experience the Spaniards
better friends than they have been for fome
jears.
i, . P b 4 LET.
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376 LETTERS FROM
LETTER LVIL
;PORT 8T. MARY's, 81EPT. 9, 1 759.
I
Have now finiflied toy account of the afr
fiair between Bofcawen and La Clue. The
lofs of the Englifh is I think only one hun-
-dred and thirty rfive men killed, apicaig^which
^re but two or three olfiqers. That of the
French muft haye been much more ponfider"?
able, but as they either do not Icnaw, or at
leaft do not care to tell it, there caii be jio
certainty^ The French in the mean time
refugeed at Cadiz have rendered themfelves
piuch difliked by all parties, by their vaunt-
ing behaviour^ not to be fmothered under
adverfity^ The Rotoap catholiq Iri(h declare
that tbo' the government of England is the
pbjefl of their deteftation, they would foone^
^aye us for mafters than this overbearing
people. Their ppinion^j hpwever, with ye-
gar4
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^Tt
gard to the Spaniards feems quite diflferent^
and they think in cafe of a Spani& defcent
in Ireland, that they would be affifted by all
fhe Roman^catholics, which you know are
n^merous^
And now to fay a word about Port St.
Mary's and Cadiz, two towns fituated upon
4ifferent fides of a large bay, but the inter-^
courfe between which is rendered very eafy
by the boats continually going backwards
and forwards. They have been both taken
by/the Englilh- Cadiz in queen Eiizabeth's
reign by Sir Francis Drake and the e^rl of
Eflex; and Port St. Mary's in the year 1702
under Sir George Rooke and the duke of Of-
jnond, affifted by the Dutch. Cadiz was at
that time attempted by the united fleets of
England ^nd Holland ; but a§ they were able
to do nothing againft that town, they threw
themfelves upon the other fide of the bay.
The Spaniih government of Port St. Mary's
pjpon bepg fummpned to furrender, only
return?4
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37* LETTERS FROM
returned this fullen anfwer, ** that Caftil-
•* lians nevec change their king or their reli-
" gion." The prefent deplorable condition
of this once opulent and populous city is at-
tributed to the Englifli invafion, (ince which
time it has been almoft abandoned as infe-
cure. Even grafs is growing in fome of the
ftreets, and feveral fine palaces are altogether
uninhabited and run to decay. However, it
is a more agreeable town to me than Cadiz,
which the hurry and confufion of fo many
people, who are facrificing their eafe for in-
tereft, grenders a very unpleafing fojourn to a
ftudent.
I (hall fet out next week for Gibraltar,
which is about two day's journey from
hence. It is not abfolutely imj)offible but I
may there embark with our ambaffador to
the emperor of Marocco, appointed for re-
deeming the flaves taken upon the lofs of the
Litchfield. Some things, however, may
arife to hinder me from putting this defign
into exegutiou. I^ E T-
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PORTUGAL SPAIN, &c. 379
Letter lviii.
GIBRALTAR^ SEPT. 24^ 1759.
Jl\ S you will fee by my date I am at
length in the Britifli garrifon. You fhall
now have a defcription of what little hap-
pened worth relating in my journey hither.
Dinner over at Port St. Mary's I put my-
felf into a little row-boat which was to con-
duft me to Cadiz. Due ceremonies finished
with the cuftom-houfe officers, who are
rather troublefome in thefe parts, our dimi-
nutive veflel bore us out of the river Guada-
lete near the mouth of which Port St. Mary's
is fituated, and we entered into that vaft
Kay, which takes its denomination from the
town of Cadiz, the principal of the many
that are difperfed round it. It may be two
or three Englifli leagues from Port St.
Mary's
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480 LETTERS FRQM
Maiy's to Cadiz, but patience and four oars
at laft brought us among the Ihips, moft of
which are anchored near the wails of the
city. The firft we came to was a Britiflx
veffel, the Princefs Louifa, whofe waving co-^
lours feemed to bid defiance to a couple of
the French frigates that lay near her. A
little farther on was the Shannon frigate,
with whom I had intended to come to Gib-
raltar, but her loitering fo long at Cadiz
made me at laft refolve to travel by land.
She ftays, I think, for money to be brought
liither, but if that is the cafe her delay may
be long, as the queen dowager and regent
has forbidden the exportation of any of that
Vaft quantity of bullion arrived lately at Ca-
diz in the Spanilh fleet from the Weft Indies*
I wonder that Spain and Portugal, the only
European nations who have mines of my
great value, ihould not conceive that gold is
as much a qominodity with them as cloth
with us. If they bii^der us from receiving the
prqdu<S of their countries, how can they
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^84
cxpeft we fhould give them thofe of ours i
A Portuguefe nobleman was complaining to
lord Tyrawley, when ambaffador at Lif*
bon, how hard it was that fuch prodigious
fums of their money (hould go annually into
England. He replied that nothing was^ more
eafy in the world than for the Portuguefe to
remedy that complaint. Upon being alkcd in
what manner, with an eagernefs thatfliewecj
how agreeable fuch a piece of inftruftion
would be, he anfwered dryly, ** that all they
•' had to do was neither to eat nor cloath them-
" felves." This, he faid, alluding to the great
quantities of corn and cloth yearly exported
from England to that .kingdom. Indeed of
late the produce of our lands has been fo
little that we have been obliged to prohibit
, the exportation of wheat, and the Portu**
guef^to feek for it elfewhere, but at pre^fent I
hope from two years tolerable crops with us,
things will be reinftated in their ufual chan*
nel. Now for a nation, who has not bread
to eat, ©or cloth to cloath themfelves with,
- to
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382 LETTERS FROM
to be unwilling to purchafe it with their very
unufeful commodity in itfelf, gold, is a fol-
ly of which I flatter myfelf few people with
us would be capable. This fame maxim of
keeping their gold in their country holds
as good in Spain as in Portugal, tho' there
is not fo great a balance of trade in our fa-
vour, for many more commodities come to
us from Spain than Portugal, which latter,
excepting its fruit and wines does not, I be-
lieve, fend the value of a (hilling in goods
to England, whereas it is faid we cannot
make our fu*perfine cloth without the help
of Segovia wool. But the queen dowager
of Spain, intoxicated with the idea of en-
riching her kingdom and making it overflow
with gold, has prohibited the exportation of
money, at leafl of that which arrived lately
to Cadiz, and which is not allowed as yet to
be given out to its particular owners. * As
for any other it may, I belieye, be exported
at a certain duty per cent, which I do not
think is fin unfair way. But what I am
afraid
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PORTUGAL,. SPAIN, &c. J83
afraid of is, that England, without being al-
lowed to take fome of this money, will not
get enough to repay the two millions of dol-
lars (a dollar is about three and fix-pence)
that are due to her. Nay, it is thought it
will be hard to get what little our garrifon
here wants, and our Marocco ambaflador in
particular, in order to redeem the three hun-
dred flaves now in that kingdom, the re-
mains of the crew that belonged to the
Litchfield, &c. It will cofl about forty thou-
fand pounds to ranfom themu
LET.
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^4 LETTERS FHOM
LETTER LIX-
GIBRALTAR, SEPT. 27, 1759*
k Left you in ttiy taft paper in the liuddle of
the b^y^f Cadiz, gazing at the dif^ent (hips
anchored there, which raifed a differtation up*-
on money. I will now land you upon the roole,
^hich is adorned with two large cohmins, that
mean to reprefent the pillars of Hercules^
in commemoration of thofe which he is
faid to have erefted in thefe parts (tho*
properly at Gibraltar or the anjcient Calpe,)
as being arrived to the end of the world ;
for in fuch light did the ancients confider
the weftern parts of Europe, as they were
ignorant of America. The ne plus ultra
written upon thefe fabulous columns is not
badly alluded to in the large Spanifli filver
coins, by a fhip's failing through them with
the words plus ultra infcribed. Upon my
' » . '
entrance
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I*ORttlGALi St^AIN, &c. 3%^
Entrance into the town^ I met the perfoa I
wanted, who is a merchant of Gibraltar^
and who was to accompany me hither. X
had got acquainted with him at Port St*
Mary*s^ where he came to f2e the new king
jproclaimed, a ceremony confifting of no*
thing but a cavalcade rouiid thotown^ which
ftopped in the difierent fquares, while mar-*
quis Terri, with the royal ftandard in his
handy mounted fcaffi>ld« er^ei^ed for that
{mtpofe, and pronounced the following
wor4^; beginning with an cyes^ which i«
literally Spanifh for ixar.
a
Oyes> oyes> oyes,
^' Caftille, Caftille, Caftiile, atid the great
*^ pprt of St. Mary's. Long live our , {ort^
** reign lord Don Carlos the thirds"
Thefe words were no fooner out of hit
toouth than abaut a hundred pieces of filver
fcattered among the mob fet them to
fcrambling and crying out viva with all
C c their
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3t6 LETTERS FROM
their might. We. hear that the Auftriah
ambaiTador at Madrid has objeded to the
title of Charles the third being given to the
prefent king, and has declared^ by order
from his courts that he ought to be called ,
Charles the fourth, upon account of the
emperor Charles the fixth, then archduke
of Auftria, having ruled in Spain for fome
little time, before the more fortunate arms of
Philip the fifth expelled him from that
kingdom. But the cafe is, that he never
Was publicly proclaimed or acknowledged, and
therefore does not enter properly into the
lift of Spanifh kings.
At Cadiz we were much diftreffed by not
being able to find horfes to carry us to Gib-
raltar, as the governor of that town had
laid an embargo upon them to attend the
French, who once belonged to the Ocean
and Redoubtable, to Malaga, where they
were in hopes of finding Ibme conveyance to
return to France. Indeed, I think it was
doing
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: PORTUGAL, SPAII^, &c, 387
: doing theif nation much honor to employ
; all the hireable . horfes of a populous city^
to convey their perfons to the delired port ;
but, the governor of Cadiz is efteemed a tho*
rough well wiflier to their caufe, and all his^
. adlionshavefufficiently teftified itj and in par-*
ticular the affair of the Antigallican privateet^
which th'o' our court feems to lie dormant
at prefent, will hot^ I belieye, be fo eafily
forgotten. You, perhaps, know the affair
as well as 1> but in a few words it was this.
The Antigallican privateer^ tho* of inferior
force, took upon the coaft of Gallieia the
duke de Penthievre^ a rich French Eatfl-
Indian velTel. The people on board her
confeffed themfelves legally captured. The
Antigallican carried her into Cadiz. By
fubornation, as it is faid, the governor got
fbme of the French prifoners to fwear the
contrary in that port, to what they had
affirmed at fea. They fwore the duke de
Penthievre when taken was within cannon
fhot of a Spanifh fort. "The affair came to
C c z atrial.
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388. LETTERS FROM
a trial, which was given againft Fofter, thd
captain of the AntigalliGan, and his prize
waa not only wrcftcd from him^ but his
own fhip taken away by force and gi^en to
the French, who are now fitting her out,
2Uid I believe (he isi to fail as foon as ever
admiral l^roderick'si fleet, wha are now of
Cadiz> will permit her» The afiair had
been, I believe, tranfmijtted to Madrid by
appeal, but I know not that any aniwer has
been obtained. A& for the goveriKMr of
Cadis^, I believe he now begins to retraft a
little, fuice the aeceffion of Ihe new king
to the throne, and the great fuccefs^ of the
Englifh. Now fortune fmiles, we begin to
find all people our friends. At the time of
the lofs of Port Mahon, when Great Britain
was taking a nap, as the world thought we
were down, each was giving a fhove to puft
us lower. It is the way of the world*
LET.
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rORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. jtj
LETTER LX.
<}lBRALTAK.j OCTOBER X^ t759#
H E difappointment of not finding horfes
made us refblve to take a boat, and go over
to Chiclana, which was in our way, in hopes
of finding fqme there, Chiclana is about
twelve miles from Cadiz, at the very end of
the bay, two or three miles up the country,
upon a little river that conveys boats to it.
But we had not gone half the way, when
certain black qlouds arofe to the leyant or
eaft, which would not permit us to ftir
a ftep further in the courfe we were failing.
There was; likewise, fome thunder, and we
expefted rain, but we had not any till two
or three days ago, which has finely refrefhed
the air, and it is now the raoft pleafant wea-
ther that can be imagined.
Gc3 If
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390 LETTERS FROM
If we could compound the two cllmatesi
of Spain and England by remitting then^
ibme of our rain, and receiving in returi^
a little dry weather, they would both be the
fineft in the world. However, at prefent I
cannot but think that we are rather too wet
at home, ^nd that the beholding ibmething
more of the fun would not do us any harm.
But yet the prodigious blaze he (hides forth
with here in Spain, while he rjdes fo near
us for months together without one cloud
or drop of rain to cool the air, feems tp me '
an excefs on the contrary fide*
The thunder and contrary wind hindering
MS from being able to put into execution our
intended expedition by water to Chiclana^
we were obliged to take the boatman's
advice, and flop fhort at a place called La
Jfla, or the ifland, tho* only feparated, as well
as Cadiz, from the main land by a fmalj
ftream, over which there is a bridge. W?
here got horfes, and proceeded upon our
journey
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 391
journey to Chiclana about half an hour
before fun-fet. We went upon a good made
road, like a turnpike in England, for about
three miles, through a couatry where there
were nothing but falt-pits. The manner
they make fait in thcfe hot dry climates is
by letting the fea into holes dug for that pur-
pofe, where the force of the fun dries it up, and
the fediment that remains is fait. The latter
part of our road was through a fort of foreft,
and but indiiFerent. The mulkatoes were,
likewife, very troublefome, and hung as thick
as they could clufter upon the boughs of
the trees. At laft, tho* fome time after
dark, we arrived at Chiclana, and put up
at a French inn there. Our landlord wel-
comed us to the hotel as he termed it ; for .
Chiclana being a pretty place, many of the
French, who fwarm at Cadiz, make excur-
(ions to it from thence for the benefit of a
little frefher air, which makes if worth
while to k«ep a better and confequently
C c 4 mojre
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if» BETTERS PROM
more expenfive bouie. We here with diffi-
Cttltj got horf«s and a guide, aod fet out
In the toonung before it w^s Hght for
Oibra|tar?r-f-rr>->^
L E T.
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PORTUQAI^ S1»AIN, &c, ^jj
X. t^ T T E a J^,
GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER 4, 1759^
H E rifii^g fun gave us a view of our
cattle, which were not of the moft expellcnt
kind. It was now, however, too late tQ
complain, and we pomforted ourfelyes that
the prefent road was very good, th<>' we had
the mortification of knowing that which was
to come to be moft villainous, nay, they
even went fo far as to fay that it was almofl
impafl'ible. We dined in a miferable inn at
d place called Vexel, fitijated upon the top
of a mountain, which we afcended by mif?
ftake, as we ought to have baited in the
bottom* The way down ag^in was moft
rugged and bad, and we were obliged to walk
it, and ftay in a moft wretched hoyel in the
valley, till our horfes could be got to us*
J^por as this habitation was, we found fome
excellent
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594 LETTERS FROM
excellent dried grapes, which I thiiik are
better than when frefh. I wonder we do not
come into thb way of preferving them in
England. Our grapes certainly do not ripen
fq eafily, but that I think is no objedlion
^gainft their keeping as well. If I do not
miftake, they clofe the end of the ftalk^ after
taking care there is no rotten grape in the
bunch, with fealing-wax, and then hang
them up in the air, where nothing can touch
them. We intended to lie at a place called
Los Varios, not above three Spanifli leagues
from Gibraltar, however, towards the even*
ing we were glad to take up with a little
hut three leagues fhort of it. One of the
principal caufes of our falling fo Ihort of our
intentions was the very bad road, fo bad in
one rocky place, that our guide's loaded
Jiorfe could no longer ftand upon his feet,
and down he came, guide, baggage and all.
The time we took in getting the poor ani-
jnal up, as he had hurt himfelf, together
^ith the debilitated ftate of Qur own cattle,
made
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 395
made us determine to put up at the next
houfe we ihould come to, which a country^
man, I belie e the only perfbn we had met
all that evening, informed us was not far
off. After a very flow progrefs, we at
length arrived at the folitary manfion, which
was a little inn in the woods for the poor ^
people who pafs that way. You may ima-*
gine we could here get nothing, fo that we
were obliged to live upon what we brought
with us. As for our bedding, it confifl:ed
in a fort of broad manger built all round a
room, and filled with rufhes, where we
were obliged to extend our weary limbs, one
lying beyond the other, but where I flept
more foundly than I have done in better
bedsy p
LET-
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^f6 lette;r3 from
I, R T T E; R LXII.
GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER 89 1759^
W E fet out from the wretched place
mentioned in my laft in the morning before
it was light, aqd had luckily a good road
till fun-^rife. We then began entering
ftmpng rocks that formed the mpft hprribly
jrqmautic prpfp^ft I have ever, perhaps, feeij
jn my life, The conful pf Cadiz*& txpte&oa
f oncerning them will give you the heft idea
pf the fcene I was then beholding. It
would make, fays he, even a duck defpair,
It was a valley hemmed in ,by plofe nigged
rocks, whofe tops afcended tp the clouds,
but which were deftitute of verdure, except
towards the bottom, where there were a
number of gloomy evergreens, thp^ thmly
fcattered, After having paffed this bad
mouatainpus country, we came into a more
agreeable
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. Jjf
agreeable fort of plain, tho' ftill daefe was
nothing particularly bcautifuL And noW
the rock €>£ Gibraltar began to appear iri
fight. As it is of a confiderable height, jroU
fee k at a cemfiderable diftancei My com*
pank» and I wiibed each other recipl-ocaWjr
joy Upon the view of it. It was a bright day
and we could even difting^ifli faiany different
parts, tha* We ftill wanted many mile^s to
get to our journey* Si end* As \n were de-
termined to arrive at St. Rock*s, if poffible,
by dinner, we fet on a good pace, leaving
our guide a»d baggage behii>d» At length:
the whole rotfc of Gibraltar ftood enti^reJy
expofed to view* It appeared from th^
place where, we were riding as^ if the fea
entirely divixied it from the main land. A
little oa our left lay St* Rock^s upon the top
of a hill. This is reported to be a town
built and inhabited by the Spaniards, who
fled from Gibraltar upon our becoming maf-
ters of that fortrpfs. They are faid con-
ftantly with wilhful eyes to behold their
ancient
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J9« LETTERS FRONi
ancient habitation^ tho^ few of the real ln[-^
habitants can be now livings except in their
children^ Upon our arrival at St. Rock's^
we entered a tolerable inn^ where not a bad
dinner was ferved up in a room that had a
moft delightful profpeft. The \Vhole garri-
ibn of Gibraltar lay beneath us, at about
the diflance of five miles^ and beyond that
Europe point, and beyond that the Barbary
coaft ; upon which the high mountain Abila^
called by the Gibraltar people Ape*s hill,
made no inconiiderable figure. But having
mentioned Barbary, it will be proper to
acquaint you that I fet fail in a few days for
Tetuan, with the ambaffador appointed to
treat with the king of Marocco, not only
for the redemption of our flaves wrecked
with the Litchfield, but alfo> if poflible^ to
fettle a peace with thefe barbarians*
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, tec. 399
LETTER LXIIL
GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER 2$, 1759*
1 HAVE been obliged to omit writing to
you laft week, as a violent every-day's ague,
or to ufe the apothecary's term, double ter-
tian, rendered me incapable of applying to
any thing. As this illnefs has deftroyed my
Barbary fchemc, I Ihall fet out in a few
days for Cadiz, My journjey to Tetuan
proved very fhort. On Monday the 15 th I
went on board the Guernfey, hurried away
between the hot and cold fit of my ague,
but, notwithftanding all the buftle that was
made, we did not fail till the morning after-
wards. The wind was then a levanter, or
cafterly, which was contrary for us to lie in
Tetuan bay, and our commander did not care
to hazard being driven on (hore with the
charge
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46o LETTERS FiHoU
bharge of mdriey we had for the redemption
bf the flaves. However as every thing was
lb far advanced^ we fet out in hopes of its
changing the next morning. We had the
^Thetis frigate in company. Our voyage was
very fliort, land^ indeed, ought rather to be
confidered as a little cruife than any thing
clfc^ tho' we got within fix or feven leagued
of Tetuari that night.' We lay to tiU
morning, wheh finding the fame wind con-^
tinue we returned to Gibraltar by dinner
time. Thus ended our expedition, and upon
toy landing I was immediately laid up with
my ague. They have finee had a fecond
jaunt, but have done little more in it than in
the firft. Indeed all the Ehglifli who had
nothing to do with the ihips landed, and
went a (hooting. at Tetuan, biif as for pub^
lie bufinefs^ 1 believe^ there was nothing
done, except fending the ambaflador's lecrc-*
tary to the king of Marocco with the
king's Ictten
The
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PORTUGAL, SPAINi &c. 401
The (hips and every thing elfe are return-
ed, but that gentleman is ftill upon his
courfe. I think he is to make no lefs than
eight days journey of it to the place where
his African majefty is at prefent He is now
in an encampment among fome mountains,
where he is infliding (evere juftice upon the
inhabitants, who, if I miftake not, have
never been willing rightly to own his autho-
rity. This gehtleinan muft have but a-dif-
mal journey, with a guard of hideous Moors
about him, and without any company but
the king's letter, which he has got in a box;
The letter i^ big enough for a pillow, and
finely painted round the diredion with flow-
ers and I do not know what all. The words
of "thd direftion, if I can remember, arc
pretty nearly thefe;
" To the moft high and glorious rhoriafcih^
*^ the mighty and right noble Sidi Mahomet
^^ Ben Abdallah, emperor of the kingdoms of
D d •^ Ma-
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402 LETTERS FROM
*• Marocco, Fez, Tafilet, Sus, Dahra, aftd
" the Algarve, with his other territories in
" Africa,'*
There is more of it, but I cannot recolle£t
it. I fuppofe the king has written in pcrfon
to the emperor, upon account of the latter
being fo much offended at fome letters fent
him ligned by Mr. Pitt, for he does not un-
derftand fecretaries of ftate. *' I expeft the
** king your naafter," faid he, " will write
** to me himfclf,'* and other things of that
nature.
In my next I will continue my journey to
Gibraltar.
LET-
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I
t^OkTUGAL, SPAIN, tec. 403
L JE T T E R- LXm
GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER 28, l'jS9*
A O finifli my journey to the Britifli gar*
rifon, we muft return to where I left off,
which was at our looking out at a window at
St. Rock's in expeftation of the Appearance
of dinner. But other affairs fobn engrofled
our attention* Gibraltar, by which I mean
what the Englifli pofTefs, is a peninfula, and
the neck of land which joins it to the reft of
Spain may be a mile or more in breadth*
Acrofs this ifthmus the Spaniards have run
certain fortifications, which they call the
lines, and they are terminated at either fea
by a little fort. As there is a guard of Spa-
nifli foldiers continually here, no perfon cail
pafs them without a licenfe firft obtainedl
from the Spanifli commander, who lives at
St, Rock's. The getting this licence^ was
D d a what
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404 LETTERS FROM
what was engrofling our prefent attention*
To give you a better idea of the lines, and
what I have faid concerning them I will
jnake you an extemporary (ketch of them.
JN
,(RocW( 1
y^
*/^
^^«S«^
^x^<
^^
MM
%rlii3^
Qiir Jtre'igiilJ
^Ikc JtvdqJ^
But do not think the plan I have been
giving you has any pretence to perfedlion.
Every thing is immoderately, infinitely,
exorbitantly out of proportion. 1 only
fcratched it out from my own head juft to
give you faint idea of the pofition of the
Spanifli lines. They curb the Englifli
mucL
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN,. &c. 405
much. When they were building, it is re-
ported that our governor of Gibraltar at that
time complained to our court about it. The
miniftry fent out fome perfon, I do not
know whon>, to infpect the affair, and de-
mand of the Spaniards the reafon of all thefe.
hoftile preparations in time of peace. The
anfwer made was that what they were
doing was with no view againft the Englifh,
but for a defence againft the Moors. Our
good infpector wsCs contented with the an-
fwer, and things paffed off in this man-
ner, tho' perhaps the Spaniards might think
they had a right to build what they pleafc
Upon their own ground. The Englifli have
iince found how detrimental thefe lines have
been, as from thence the Spaniards can an-
noy our fhips in the bay, unlefs, indeed,
they retire down to what is called the "New
Mole, which was made on that account.
Finding much dfelay in obtaining a licenfe
to pafs thi? barrier, and my companion
having acquaintances among the Spaniih offr-»'
D d 3 cers,
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4o6 LETTERS FROM
cefs, we refolved to try our fortune without
it. We found many Englifh caroufing with
them at a hut or inn, juft without the gate
of the lines. In times of peace with the
Spaniards, or at leaft at prefent, the Enghfii
have liberty to go and dine or ride out in
Spain whenever they chufe, fo they have a
paflport from the Englifli governor. But
nobody can go frefli into the garrifon from
Spain without a particular licenfe from Bu-
careli the Spanifli commander. This is the
agreement the two governors have made to-
gether* Now by our mixing ourfelves with
the other gentlemen of the garrifon, through
the connivance of my companion's Spanifh
friends, we appeared to come under the go-^
vernor of Gibraltar's permiffion. And in faft
the centries let us pafs without faying a fingle
fyllable, tho' we had afterwards much diffi-
cuhy about our baggage, which we had left
far behind. But other things, were enter-
taining our thoughts at prefent. We were
making our remarks upon the ro?k of Glbr
raltar,
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 407
raltar, which flood full before our view. We
were ftill upon the flat deep fands that run ^
between the two feas before you come to the
town. The rock which rifes perpendicularly
from the ground, on the right hand of which
are fituated the land fortifications of the sar-
rilbn, with the fea, all together formed a moft
romantic profpeft. But we now entered the
gate of Gibraltar, and I found myfelfonce
more under the protection of my native
country.
D d 4 LET-
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408 LETTERS FROM
LETTER LXV,
GIBRALTAR, NOV. 2, 1759.
± N my laft paper I left you upon our en-r
trance into Gibraltar. When we had paft
the gate and the Englifh guard at it, our
company feparated. My^ companion and I
proceeded into the heart of the town, where
we met feveral officers of his acquaintance,
who recommended me to a lodging. We
were now got to the parade, the beft part
of Gibraltar, arid upon my word it looked
very pretty, tho' perhaps it might appear
better from my having come through fa
many bad towns in Spain for a foil. The
next morning I paid my vifit of ceremony
to the governor at the convent; for the
habitation of the governors of Gibraltar was
originally fuch, and the church belonging
to it i§ now ufed by the garrifon. When
the
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 40J
the Englifh firft took this rock, which was
in the year 1 704, two years after the expe-f
dition to Port St. Mary's, they did not feem
to know the importance of the place. It
divides' the two naval powers of France an4
Spain pretty nearly into two equal parts,
and confequently, renders them both confi-^
jierably weaker, as to unite their force§ yot^
fee they muft run the danger of paffing the
ilreights, which we have proved of late
how badly it has fucceeded to the French. If
we had not Gibraltar, what would be eafier
than for the French or Spaniards to fend a
fleet there in time of war, and keep us en-
tirely out of the Mediterranean ? Indeed,
at prefent we are likely to be in fome degree
of amity with Spain, and I hope for fome
time ; for it does Spain and England much
more reciprocal damage to be at war with
each other than with France. The reafon
is this, that France and we, except for a few
wines, and the counterband trade, have no
Cppamerce at all together. And what little
^9.
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4IO LETTERS FROM
we have with them is prejudicial to us, as
fo much clear money goes out of the king-
dom, for they want no produds of ours in
exchange. Cloth they make nearly as good*
as ourfelves, and much cheaper. Leather,
and a thoufand ,other commodities we have
in England, they want not. On the con-
trary, Spain takes off thefe and a great
many more, and in return gives us a little
wool, fruit, wine and oil, but the furplus is
made up in good piftoles. We expeft,
likewife, this year to have a great deal of
corn come from England into thele parts,
for we hear thpre has been a very pleotiful
crop with you, and in Spain, befides not an
over abundance laft harveft, they have not
had above a fhower or two thefe feven
months. You may imagine, therefore, we
have but a bad profpeft for next year. Here
at Gibraltar, indeed, we have had fomething
more of rain, and one fhower fo prodigioufly
hard in the night time, that when we got up
in the morning, we found the town all full
of gravel, which had beep waihed down
from
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 411
from the hill. I have already told you, I
think, that Gibraltar ftands at the foot of
the higheft moft craggy rock that can be
imagined. Two very difagreeable things
arife from this fituation. One is, that as
the mountain is pretty nearly due eaft, it
reflefts the rays of the fun in the afternoon
fo violently, that you feel a.redoubled heat
from it. The other is the ugly profpeft
it affords, to look upon fuch a blafted emi-
nence without any thing green upon it, tho'
it is faid there are many botanical herbs, but
they are too fmall to ftrike the eye. Indeed,
the whole of Gibraltar is very contrary to ^,
perfon who loves to enjoy rural fcenes, but
the want of green to a traveller is in great
meafure made up by the romanticnefs of the
place. The moft curious walk I know is
down to Europa point, You go among
rocks that feem rent, and torn, and difplaced
by millions of earthquakes, till at laft you
come to a fort of a point, a ne plus ultra^
where the peninfula of Gibraltar ejmds.
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4ia LETTERS FROM
I. E T T E; R LXVI,
CHKLANA, NOV. 5, 1759.
JljL S you will fee by my date, I am at laft
got thus far in my way from Gibraltar tp
Cadiz. Tho' I am recovered of the ague,
which attacked me fo violently, I may flay
here a day or two, as it is reckoned fine air,
in order to r^-eflablifh myfelf perfectly.
I have but few things to add concerning
Gibraltar. The fortifications feem the moft
curious part of the whole place. As thofe
towards Spain are formed and interwoven
with the rock, it feems difficult, if not im-
pofiible, to difmount the guns. Willis's
battery, all up in the heavens, appears to me
to command what approaches the Spaniards
can poflibly make. The lafl time they be-
fieged Gibraltar, they attempted to undermine
this
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 413
this battery, and worked' on thirty yards
through the living ftone, but the garrifon
perceiving their intentions, rendered them
unavaihng, by blowing up the upper part
of the rock as faft as they did underneath,
and letting the immenfe ftones, torn off by
the force of gnn-powder, roll down upon
their heads. We have fince overflowed the
ground lying without the land-port with
the fea, and have only left a caufe-way, or
rather bridge, to enter the town, and that is
defended by what they call the grand bat-
tery, and many other cannon; particularly
two which are placed by themfelves, fome-
thing lower than Willis's battery. They
are in fuch a pofition as to command fully
the entrance into the town, and by the rocks
winding befide them, are difficult to be dif- -
mounted, not to mention their height.
Thefe two guns were what gajled the Spa-
niards moft in the laft iiege, and fome even
go fo far as to fay that they faved the place.
If, however, it is any ways weak, it is to-
wards
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414 LETTfeRS FtiOU
wards the fea, but as the ratnparts are high^
the landing, in cafe of a breach, would hd
dangerous ; there are, however, fb many guns
all along that part, I do not fee how a (hip
Could lie to batter the walls without being
difabled. We need not, indeed, talk of
Gibraltar being attacked by fea, till we find
a nation able to cope with us upon that
element. All thefe things confidered, I
efteem that fortrefs as almoft impregnable^
I will not fay quite, becaufe treachery ot
unforefeen accidents may give the lie to the
fureft forefight. The back of Gibraltar is
defended by nature with fuch inacceffible
rocks, that no enemy without wings can
moleft us that way. The afcent to the top
of them is fteep towards the town^ but on
the other fide towards the Mediterranean
nearly perpendicular. On one of the
higheft parts of this mountain the Englifli
have ere£led their fignal houfe, to give
notice of the arrival of /hips, as is cuftomary
in
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PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c.. 415
in ports. I went up here once out of curio*
lity, and qnce is furely enough for any per-
fon, fo much labour is it to get there, tho*
a foldier carries up . a little barrel ' of water
every day fpr the ufe of the guard fkationed
upon that bleak fpot. This is all his day's
work, which you may think fufficient.
The gentleman who accompanied me could
hardly keep himfelf upon his feet, his head
turned to fuch a degree, but he fays he is
particularly afFedled that . way when he
comes to any precipice. He was the fecre-
tary to our Barbary ambaffador, and who
in the fecond expedition, while my ague
confined me to my bed, landed and went,
attended by a hundred of the emperor's
guards, to Marocco, or rather to a mountain
where Sidi Mahomet is encamped at prefent.
Had I been well, I fhould certainly have
borne him company, which he would have
efteemed as no fmall favor ; for he can have
but unentertaining ideas in an evening, fur-
rounded
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4i6 LETTERS FROM
rounded with a hundred Moorifti guard »y
,all blacks, and without any perfon to fpeak?
with. His errand, as I have mentioned, was?
to carry the king's letter.
E N D o F VOL. I.
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